Mind Games
by WriterFreak001
Summary: Masterminds of Deceit Part 2 - Post-Deception. Four months passed since the ending of "Deception," and it seemed as though life, for the most part, returned to normal for Team Scorpion. Walter and Paige were given a chance to focus on their relationship in the midst of all of the cases that were assigned to the team. [MORE INSIDE]
1. Chapter 1

**WriterFreak001: **

Thank you to all of you who have religiously followed _**Deception**_. I loved writing it! Now, here is the first chapter of the sequel. If you haven't read _Deception_, I suggest you read that story first before reading this one. :)

This is PART TWO of the **Masterminds of Deceit** Scorpion Series.

* * *

**Title** | Mind Games

**Fandom** | _Scorpion_ (CBS)

**Description** | Post-Deception. Four months passed since the ending of "Deception," and it seemed as though life, for the most part, returned to normal for Team Scorpion. Walter and Paige were given a chance to focus on their relationship in the midst of all of the cases that were assigned to the team. However, eventually, all great things must end, and once again, Team Scorpion will have to deal with an even bigger opponent than the Leviathan Mafia. Mark Collins is back for revenge and will have something big in store for Walter – something even the 197 IQ genius might not be able to see coming. And Collins's return just might cause a rift within the Scorpion family in the process, making it next to impossible for them to beat his ultimate game.

**Rating**| This fanfiction will be rated T for violence, obscene language, sexual themes as well as brain stuff and fluff.

**POV** | Limited Third Person

**Disclaimer** | While CBS owns _**Scorpion**_, I am the owner of this masterpiece.

**Claimer** | I am human; there are bound to be mistakes. If you feel like something _should_ be changed, you have the power to send me a review/private message. I can't guarantee if I'll change it every time, but I do read all of my reviews and all of my private messages!

* * *

**Mind Games**

**Sequel to**_** Deception**_

**Written by WriterFreak001**

**Chapter 1**

**~ S****CORPION ~**

Six months after the LA syndicate of the Leviathan Mafia was compromised, life in the cyclone seemed to return to normal; the team continued working on cases, and Paige was finally cleared to return to work after months of psycho- and physical therapy. She regained full use of her leg and proved herself even more worthy on the team by helping each of the members emotionally engage themselves in the cases – especially Walter. Walter was extremely grateful for hiring Paige back in August; she truly bonded everyone and ultimately made him a better version of himself.

And he liked it.

With Scorpion cracking almost every case which came their way, the team was as busy as ever, but Walter continued to make time for Ralph because he didn't want the boy to experience the same sort of childhood he had had where his parents were never completely involved in his life. Over the past few months, Ralph had managed to make a few friends at school – something Walter failed to accomplish during his adolescent years. If anything, the boy was lucky to have been able to connect with normals at such a young age. And Ralph owed his improving social skills all to his mother, Paige – the woman who had _somehow _managed to fall in love with Walter in spite of his uncouth behavior.

"Thanks for taking Ralph to school for me this morning," Paige smiled as she descended the stairs with a small chunk of bagel in her hand. She tossed the breaded morsel into her mouth and made her way towards him; she circled around his desk and stopped behind him as her fingers started weaving through his curls. Then she bent down and whispered, "I really appreciate it," into his ear.

"You've been working long hours this week with all of the paperwork," Walter replied as he picked up his Rubik's Cube and started messing with it. "T-taking Ralph to sch-school gave, um, gave you a f-few extra hours of … of sleep; it w-was w-what w-was effi-efficient." Walter stammered as Paige started nibbling on his earlobe.

"Mhmm," Paige hummed against his skin. "It was also very sweet," she added and then pulled him into a hungry, morning kiss. "You know," her lips found his ear, "Ralph's at school…, and from what I can see," she paused when Walter's lips grazed against her neck, "no one else is here."

"Th-that's an astu – an astute obser - um," Walter swallowed as he found her gaze, "an astute observation." He looked around the garage and did find it pretty strange that Happy and Toby were nowhere to be found. Sly was with Cabe, giving Homeland details of incriminating content he had discovered during the case they had worked on the day before. But Toby and Happy? They were both missing; Walter assumed Happy was wrenching at her father's mechanic shop and guessed that Toby was still out gambling with his buddies. No matter where his friends were, he didn't linger on the subject; they were both capable of taking care of themselves so wherever they were, he was sure they were fine. "And w-what would that, uh, insinuate?"

"I think you know," Paige sang into his ear. He shivered.

"A-and what if Cabe, um, what if Cabe calls?" He swallowed the lump in his throat and gave her an innocent smile.

Paige sighed and pulled away from him. "It's always something, isn't it?"

"What do you mean?" Walter raised an eyebrow. He recognized her disappointment and quickly determined he had said something wrong.

Paige inhaled a deep breath and folded her arms in front of her. "Walter," she heaved a heavy sigh, "It's been almost three weeks since we've done _anything _remotely romantic, and I get it; we've had quite a bit of cases which required a lot of our devoted time. I've learned to be a patient woman when we started dating, but," she gripped his cheeks out of frustration, pressed her forehead against his and chuckled, "I'm not _that _patient."

"I can see that." Walter stated as he pulled her hands from his face and kissed her fingers, one by one.

"Okay, now you're just teasing me." Paige rolled her eyes but didn't remove her fingers from him. He continued to kiss her fingers; it was slow and methodical. She finally pulled her hands away and muttered his name. "Walter?"

"Hm?" his eyes widened as she gripped his collar and forced him onto his feet. She loosened his dark blue tie and then slid it over his head before she hooked her arms around his neck and kissed him hard on the mouth. Her tongue swiped across his bottom lip, and she gave Walter a clue as to how desperate she was when she started unbuttoning his shirt. Once the final button was free, she nearly ripped his shirt off of him as she backed him against the wall. When Walter's fingers loosened Paige's blouse from her pants and glided it over her head, she pulled and stepped away from him with a conniving smile forming on her raw lips. He raised an eyebrow. "Did I miss something?" First she said she wanted him, then she practically pounced him and now she was backing down? He frowned. He _still_ had a hard time understanding that woman sometimes.

"Well," Paige shrugged, "earlier you were playing hard-to-get when I clearly told… practically _showed _you… what I wanted." She picked up his tie and his shirt and lightly tapped his cheek, "I'm not going to fold so easily and practically give you what you _obviously _want as well. So," she turned away from him, slipped on his shirt to hide her bra and headed for the stairs, "if you want some, you're gonna have to work for it."

Walter watched Paige as she walked up the stairs as he tried to figure out what had just happened. Suddenly, the front door opened and closed as Toby walked into the garage, yawning. Toby took one look at Walter and chuckled.

"Well… Looks like _someone _had fun."

Walter noticed Paige's blouse on the ground and picked it up. "You're psychoanalyzing me, Toby."

"I so am." Toby smirked. "So…where's the lovely lady? Behind your desk?"

"No." Walter replied as he headed for the stairs. "And this conversation is over."

"You know," Toby cracked his knuckles, "if you're having trouble in paradise, a shrink might have some insight on the matter."

Walter paused. He looked up the stairs and reminded himself that Paige wasn't going to wait long. And the fact that Toby was back made matters worse. Walter came up with the plan and quickly walked towards Toby's desk. "If I give you something to work with, will you make yourself scarce effectively and immediately?"

"Hoo boy! This outta be good." Toby leaned forward and plopped on his hat. "Fire away, lover boy."

"Do I have your word?"

"You're wasting your precious time." Toby deadpanned.

"Right." Walter's jaw hardened. He quickly explained everything that had just transpired between him and Paige to Toby and inquired for the shrink's expertise.

"Dude," Toby laughed. "You just got played!"

"Who just got played?" Happy asked, suddenly making her presence known.

"Walter!" Toby called out.

"All right, both of you; out!" Walter pointed towards the door.

"Why? I just got here." Happy folded her arms against her chest. "And why are you shirtless, Walt?"

"I'll tell you why!" Toby chuckled as he dove past Walter and made his way over to Happy. "But, before Mr. 197 blows a fuse, let's go and grab some coffee."

"I'm not going anywhere with you," Happy pulled her arm out of Toby's clutch.

"Let's just say," Toby muttered loud enough for Walter to hear him, "Mrs. O'Brien –"

"They're not married," Happy interrupted Toby.

"Well, they might as well be!" Toby whispered harshly. "Anyway, the Mrs. is currently upstairs waiting for our dear Walter, if you know what I mean."

Happy grimaced. "Coffee it is, then."

The moment Toby and Happy left the garage, Walter bolted up the stairs and headed for his bedroom where he found Paige anxiously waiting for him. Her clothes had been scattered about the floor, and she was laying underneath his bed sheets. She raised an eyebrow; she was clearly waiting for him. He quickly discarded the rest of his clothing, pulled down the sheets and noticed Paige wearing _only _his tie around her neck.

Without a word, he climbed into the bed, pulled the covers over them as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders and greeted him with another hungry kiss. He pulled away and stared at the tie resting against her chest.

"See something you like?" Paige raised an eyebrow.

He caught her gaze. "You do realize that, after this morning, I won't be able to wear that tie again, right?"

She laughed, pushed him onto his back and towered over him as she brought her lips to his ear. "When I'm done with you, Mr. O'Brien, you'll never want to wear _anything _again."

His ears burned as she pulled him into another heated kiss and had her wicked way with him.

They didn't leave his bedroom for hours.

**~ SCORPION ~**

"That's right, Walter O'Brien; enjoy your fun while it lasts." Mark Collins mumbled as he lowered his binoculars and walked away from the edge of the building across the street from the Scorpion garage. "Because once _I _cast the die," he picked up his briefcase, "it'll be _my _game you and your little frat group will be playing."

**~ SCORPION ~**

* * *

**WriterFreak001: **

Congratulations! You made it through the first chapter! I know it wasn't very long, but I wanted to see what people think about the premise of the story before writing more. Also, since Walter and Paige's relationship has certainly advanced, I will be including steamier scenes in this FanFiction. I still refuse to go into elaborate detail so enjoy what I _do _decide to give you.


	2. Chapter 2

**WriterFreak001: **

Sorry for the delay; I was planning on writing the chapter earlier in the day, but I had to take a trip to the emergency center after taking a rather scary fall down the stairs. No broken bones. Just bruises, broken skin and pride.

* * *

**Title** | Mind Games

**Fandom** | _Scorpion_ (CBS)

**Description** | Post-Deception. Four months passed since the ending of "Deception," and it seemed as though life, for the most part, returned to normal for Team Scorpion. Walter and Paige were given a chance to focus on their relationship in the midst of all of the cases that were assigned to the team. However, eventually, all great things must end, and once again, Team Scorpion will have to deal with an even bigger opponent than the Leviathan Mafia. Mark Collins is back for revenge and will have something big in store for Walter – something even the 197 IQ genius might not be able to see coming. And Collins's return just might cause a rift within the Scorpion family in the process, making it next to impossible for them to beat his ultimate game.

**Rating**| This fanfiction will be rated T for violence, obscene language, sexual themes as well as brain stuff and fluff.

**POV** | Limited Third Person

**Disclaimer** | While CBS owns _**Scorpion**_, I am the owner of this masterpiece.

**Claimer** | I am human; there are bound to be mistakes. If you feel like something _should_ be changed, you have the power to send me a review/private message. I can't guarantee if I'll change it every time, but I do read all of my reviews and all of my private messages!

* * *

**Mind Games**

**Sequel to**_** Deception**_

**Written by WriterFreak001**

**Chapter 2**

**~ S****CORPION ~**

By the time Ralph needed to be picked up from school, Walter and Paige were dressed for the day as if the past several hours didn't happen. But, oh, they did, and it was getting harder for Walter and Paige to maintain their charades around Ralph – especially during the night. They had to be careful because Ralph would sometimes crawl into bed with them whenever he was having a hard time sleeping; the boy was aware that Walter and his mother had started sharing the same room for the past several months, but as far as Walter and Paige knew, Ralph didn't know the extent of their relationship.

"You know," Walter said as he started Paige's car and applied pressure to the accelerator, "I still don't understand why it would be such a bad thing for us to inform Ralph of our unanimous decision to consummate our relationship. We started having sexual intercourse almost three months ago; don't you think it's time we let Ralph know?"

"Because," Paige laughed, "there's a certain level of decency parents must maintain in front of children, Walter. Even if he already knows about sex –"

"He most likely already does. Toby lent Ralph one of his medical books several months ago. Ralph's already read it cover to cover, and I can assure you, sexual intercourse was certainly a topic included in the discourse." Walter chuckled as he turned right.

"I'm going to have to have a talk with Toby later…," Paige mumbled. "Anyway," she continued, "as I was saying: even if Ralph already knows about sex, it's not a topic for discussion. Trust me, Walter," she placed her hand on his as he rested it against the center console. "We're doing Ralph a favor by _not _telling him."

"He may already know; he's a genius. He's very capable of putting two and two together." Walter replied as he slowed down for the red light.

"I realize that," Paige laughed and squeezed Walter's hand, "and _because _he's a genius, he is capable of remembering _everything_. I don't know about you, Walter, but I do _not _want to be the one who mentally scars my son for the rest of his life."

"But if we tell him," Walter said as he quickly exchanged looks with Paige, "we'll be able to spare him from accidentally walking in on us…. By telling him we engage in sexual intercourse –"

"Ew. Don't call it that." Paige grimaced.

"But that's what it's called."

"Well…, call it something else, then. Sexual intercourse makes sex seem like it's nothing more than a chore." Paige raised an eyebrow as Walter pulled into the school's parking lot.

"The name of the act is arbitrary, Paige." Walter said as he parked the car. "You know what I'm referring to when I say sexual intercourse; why insist on changing the terminology?"

"Because," Paige took off her seatbelt; he did the same, "by calling it sexual intercourse, you make it sound so dirty."

"Then what do you suggest?" Walter inquired.

"Call it…," Paige stopped to think for a moment. She smiled, "Call it…, making love."

Walter shook his head. "No…. I am _not _calling it that."

"Why not?" Paige laughed.

"The phrase, 'making love,' is too elusive. It could mean anything from sexual intercourse to oral sexual intercourse. And you and I both know we do not engage in the latter. Sexual intercourse correctly describes the type of intimacy we share, and it doesn't require further explanation as to what it could possibly mean." Walter explained.

Paige rolled her eyes. "Okay. I see your point. Could you at least call it 'sex' instead? Doesn't sound as dirty as 'sexual intercourse.'"

Walter almost objected but gave in to her request. "Fine, I'll call it sex, but you cannot expect me to ever say 'making' and 'love' in the same sentence, exclusively in that order."

"Deal," Paige laughed as they climbed out of her car. After Walter locked the vehicle, he slipped the keys into his pocket and then took Paige's hand. Over the past few months, he had gotten more comfortable with simple PDA – especially after Toby told him that holding a woman's hand equated to a sense of ownership. While Walter never considered himself as someone who would ever _own _Paige in any way, he did uncover a sense of pride as he held her close. Toby had assured Walter that his prideful feelings were resulted from the fact that he didn't want any other guy to 'hit' – as Toby had put it – on his girlfriend; even _if _Walter knew Paige was a very capable woman in defending herself. She did, after all, escape a van filled with armed gang members once.

As they approached the school, Walter remembered that he didn't get to finish what he wanted to say in regards to Ralph. They were halfway to the building so he still had time to complete his lingering train of thought. "As I was saying earlier," Walter caught Paige's attention, "If we let Ralph know about our sexual relationship, it _could _prevent him from walking in on us in the future. I know he hasn't done it yet, but it's bound to happen _sometime _– especially if we don't tell him."

"We're not going to tell him, Walter. End of discussion." Paige replied as they approached the building.

"But –"

"Walter…" Her voice was stern.

Walter sighed. "Fine." He would bring the subject back up later when they weren't just about to walk into a battlefield of elementary school kids.

"Thank you," Paige muttered as she placed a quick kiss against his shoulder. They walked through the hallways of the school and went straight to Ralph's classroom where they usually found him writing equations on the blackboard. He wasn't there. "Hm… Where is he?" Paige frowned.

"Perhaps he's outside with the other students. As I recall, he has made a few friends here; he might be with them." Walter assessed the situation. "Or he could be in the bathroom."

"Let's wait for a few minutes and see if he comes back. If not, we'll check the playground." Paige said as she released Walter's hand and walked over to Ralph's desk. "His backpack's not here. So maybe he _is _outside with the other kids."

Before Walter could say anything, Ralph's teacher walked into the classroom. "If you're looking for Ralph," the middle-aged woman smiled, "he's outside today. I meant to leave a note on the board for the two of you, seeing as none of the other parents pick the children up from the classrooms, but I was called into a meeting and forgot. Anyway, the two of you can exit through the back door," she pointed to the heavy-metal door in the far corner of the classroom, "and access the playground area from there."

"Thank you," Paige smiled as she walked back over to Walter.

"No problem." Ralph's teacher went to her desk as Walter and Paige made their way to the metal door.

They exited the building and crossed the blacktop as they headed for the playground. "Do you see him?" Paige asked as both of them scanned the playground.

"Not yet," Walter replied; he could tell Paige was growing worried as she squeezed his hand. He pulled her to the side of the playground and spotted Ralph sitting on a bench towards the back of the schoolyard. "I see him!" Walter pointed towards the bench.

Paige stepped in front of him and sighed. "Thank goodness."

Walter saw Ralph turn towards the large tree next to the bench. He was smiling, laughing and talking? Walter didn't see anybody sitting next to the boy. It would be normal if the boy was muttering to himself, but it was clear that Ralph was socially engaging with someone. "Who is he talking to?"

"I don't know." Paige frowned. "Let's find out."

Walter started walking towards the bench, pulling Paige with him. As they approached Ralph, it was definitely clear that he was talking to someone. Ralph noticed them coming towards him and waved. "Hi Walter! Hi Mom!"

"Ralph? Who're you talking to?" Paige asked as they rushed over to the boy.

"Someone like me." Ralph smiled. "He's almost as smart as Walter."

"Who?" Walter inquired. He did _not _like where this conversation was heading.

"He's right th-" Ralph started to say as he pointed towards the tree, "Well, he _was _there. We talked about the quantum mechanics of time travel," Ralph grinned. "It was an engaging conversation."

"And did," Walter's voice darkened, "he give you a name?"

Ralph nodded. "He said his name was Mark Collins. He told me he has an IQ of 190."

Paige picked Ralph up into her arms and spoke softly, "Ralph…, what did I say about talking to strangers?"

"He wasn't a stranger." Ralph answered directly as Walter inhaled a deep breath. "He said he knew both of you. He told me he helped with one of your cases."

"Honey," Paige sat down on the bench and held her son in her arms. She brushed his bangs out of his face and kissed his cheek. "Is this the first time Mark Collins has come here?"

Ralph shook his head. "We've spoken a few times in the past few weeks." Paige closed her eyes and released a heavy sigh. Walter scanned the area to see where Collins could have ran off to.

"Why didn't you say anything beforehand?" Paige pressed her cheek against Ralph's.

"He told me it was a secret; he wanted to surprise you and Walter." Ralph gulped. "Did I do something bad?"

Paige kissed Ralph's cheek and held him closer to her body. "No, sweetie. You didn't."

"Wherever he went, he's gone, now." Walter stated as he sat down next to Paige.

"Did Mr. Collins do something bad?" Ralph inquired, looking between Walter and Paige.

"Yes." Walter answered quickly. "Mark Collins is not someone you want to be friends with, Ralph. Remember when I told you how Scorpion had to stop that meltdown several months ago?"

"Yeah," Ralph nodded.

"Well," Walter paused, "Mark Collins was the one responsible for starting it in the first place."

"Oh." Ralph suddenly grew quiet. "I didn't know."

"That's right, sweetie." Paige kissed Ralph's forehead, "You didn't know. You're not at fault here. We don't blame you, honey. Right, Walter?" Paige locked her eyes on Walter's and sent him a warning glare.

"R-right." Walter ran his hand through his hair. "Y-your mother's assumption is correct."

"Okay," Ralph nodded. "What if he comes back?"

"Don't engage." Walter answered quickly.

"What Walter means to say, Ralph, is that you need to ignore him and pretend he's not around. If you see him lingering around the playground, find a teacher or a recess monitor and tell them. Okay?"

Ralph swallowed the lump in his throat. "Okay."

"Now," Paige poked Ralph's nose and smiled, "I think a trip to the ice cream parlor would do us nicely."

"Really?" Ralph beamed.

"I scoop swore, didn't I?" Paige laughed and then caught Walter's stern gaze.

Paige sent him another glare. He sighed. "Ice cream sounds like a good plan."

**~ SCORPION ~**

After Walter, Paige and Ralph returned from their trip to the ice cream parlor, Ralph went straight to Paige's computer and started playing a virtual game of chess, while the other two made their way over to Cabe. Walter was glad that the agent was back because _Collins _was certainly not a topic that should be discussed over the phone.

"And what can I do for the two of you?" Cabe asked as he folded his arms and waited for someone to start talking.

"Let's go upstairs." Walter suggested; Sylvester, Toby and Happy were in the lower level so Ralph would be all right. Happy had upgraded the security system to the garage ever since the mafia debacle.

"Okay?" Cabe raised an eyebrow and followed both Walter and Paige up the steps. When they entered the loft, Walter and Paige stopped walking and turned around to face Cabe. Walter folded his arms in front of his chest as Paige lightly leaned against him. "Care to tell me what this is all about?"

"Were you aware that Mark Collins was released from prison?" Walter asked, his expression was as hard as ever.

"No. I wasn't." Cabe frowned. "He was sent to a mental patient facility after he was caught writing all over the jail cell with the sharpie marker he had requested. There were numbers everywhere."

"Numbers _were _one of his specialties." Walter stated as he rubbed his temples. "If he was sent to a psychiatric facility, he could have found an opportunity to escape. He almost did the last time he was there; perhaps he succeeded this time. He knew the guards would find him crazy if he was caught writing everywhere; he probably played them – made them _think _he was crazy. It's a lot easier to escape a psych ward than a prison cell."

"Wait," Cabe raised an eyebrow. "Why'd you ask?"

"We found Ralph talking to him at the school's playground today." Paige replied as she hooked her arms around Walter's elbow.

"You did what?" Cabe's eyes widened.

"Well, we didn't actually find him…. He was long gone before we approached Ralph." Walter clarified.

"Then how do you know it was Collins?" Cabe frowned. He leaned against the counter.

"Ralph." Paige said, mirroring Cabe's facial expression. "Ralph told us whom he was talking to."

Cabe heaved a heavy sigh and muttered a few choice words before pulling his phone out of his pocket. "If that's the case, then why did the psychiatric facility not notify anyone of his escape?"

"They have a reputation to maintain," Walter's jaw hardened. "If they let the public know that they let a dangerous man slip through their fingers, they'll lose credibility. In today's economy, loss of credibility could really hurt their business."

"And because of that error," Cabe ran his hand through his hair, "Collins is back and probably more insane than ever before; there's no doubt he has something up his sleeve – especially if he paid a visit to Ralph's school. I'll see if I can get the LAPD to put an APB on the guy; I'll also contact Ralph's school and tell them to keep an eye out for Collins and a _special _eye on Ralph. Now, I suggest you tell the rest of the team of what's going on," Cabe looked at Walter, "because we're going to need all the genius help we can get on this one."

"Okay." Walter nodded.

"I'll be back. Gotta head over to HQ and give them a rundown." Cabe said as he headed for the stairs. "Don't do anything stupid while I'm gone. I don't want _anybody _messing with Collins until I get back. Understood?"

"Confirmed." Walter replied as Cabe disappeared from the loft. He released a sigh. "This is my fault."

"It isn't your fault, Walter." Paige rubbed his back.

"I should have warned the officials about Collins's mind games. I should have been able to predict his moves and stop him before he had a chance to approach Ralph." Walter rested his elbows against the counter and sighed into his hands.

"Walter, this isn't your fault." Paige continued to rub Walter's shoulders. "Mark Collins has only been back in our lives for a mere hour, and you're already buying into the lies he planted into your head." Paige's fingers massaged his scalp. He closed his eyes. "No one could have predicted this; you're not God, Walter. You can't predict the future."

Walter lifted his head and stared at the wall. "No. I can't." He turned to face Paige. "But I can put a stop to this."

"Yes, you can, but first we need to heed Cabe's orders. Collins is not someone we want to mess with blindly. We can't afford to screw up so what we _first _need to do is notify the rest of the team and then take a beat while we wait for Cabe to return." Paige said as she rubbed his arms. "I know you don't like taking orders, Walter, but for Ralph's sake and for mine, _please _do as Cabe says."

Walter pursed his lips and nodded. "Okay."

"Thank you." Paige slid her hands up to his neck and then pulled him into a short, chaste kiss. "I'd say we have an hour before Cabe comes back; let's take a walk to the park. It'll help clear your head."

"Okay." Walter muttered before she gave him another kiss. They grabbed their jackets, descended the stairs, told the team they would be back shortly and disappeared from the garage, knowing Ralph was in capable hands.

**~ SCORPION ~**

* * *

**WriterFreak001: **

I didn't actually think I would get this chapter done tonight seeing as I am sore everywhere, but this was my gift to all of you. The next chapter might not be published until Sunday depending on how I feel tomorrow.

Thank you for your patience!

Feel free to predict what Mark might be planning! :D


	3. Chapter 3

**WriterFreak001: **

Feeling a little better; still in lots of pain. :(

Thank you to those of you who have reviewed, and I hope more of you will continue to review along this epic journey. By the way, that "sex" conversation regarding Ralph is so not over. ;) It might not be brought up in this chapter, but it will be soon.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter as much as I will enjoy writing it! :D

* * *

**Title** | Mind Games

**Fandom** | _Scorpion_ (CBS)

**Description** | Post-Deception. Four months passed since the ending of "Deception," and it seemed as though life, for the most part, returned to normal for Team Scorpion. Walter and Paige were given a chance to focus on their relationship in the midst of all of the cases that were assigned to the team. However, eventually, all great things must end, and once again, Team Scorpion will have to deal with an even bigger opponent than the Leviathan Mafia. Mark Collins is back for revenge and will have something big in store for Walter – something even the 197 IQ genius might not be able to see coming. And Collins's return just might cause a rift within the Scorpion family in the process, making it next to impossible for them to beat his ultimate game.

**Rating**| This fanfiction will be rated T for violence, obscene language, sexual themes as well as brain stuff and fluff.

**POV** | Limited Third Person

**Disclaimer** | While CBS owns _**Scorpion**_, I am the owner of this masterpiece.

**Claimer** | I am human; there are bound to be mistakes. If you feel like something _should_ be changed, you have the power to send me a review/private message. I can't guarantee if I'll change it every time, but I do read all of my reviews and all of my private messages!

* * *

**Mind Games**

**Sequel to**_** Deception**_

**Written by WriterFreak001**

**Chapter 3**

**~ S****CORPION ~**

As Walter and Paige strolled along the trail of the park, they walked in silence, giving both of them time to process everything that had happened during the day. Walter was partly upset with himself for not keeping a closer eye on Mark Collins; he was also mad at the fact that he didn't warn Ralph about the man. Despite what Paige had told him in the loft, Walter believed he should have seen Collins's move – Mark had said he'd be back; he had promised revenge, and Walter didn't take him seriously. He didn't think Mark Collins would be able to find a way to escape. Once again, he had underestimated Mark Collins's intelligence, and now the deranged man was making things a lot more personal by approaching Ralph. Walter still didn't understand how Mark Collins found out about the boy, but he knew Mark Collins was a smart man; he was very capable of figuring things out one way or another.

He thought about the possibility of Mark Collins returning to Ralph's school, and he didn't like it; Mark Collins was always a persistent man so if he wanted something from Ralph in order to get to Walter, Walter didn't put it past Mark Collins to achieve his goals. "Perhaps," Walter finally spoke as they neared the tree where he and Paige had shared their first "official" kiss the night he had disclosed his list of observations to the woman holding his hand. Paige caught his gaze so he continued. "Perhaps it might be prudent if Ralph stays home from school until Mark Collins has been apprehended again."

"As compelling as that idea sounds," Paige laughed as they stopped in front of _their _tree, "I can't keep taking Ralph out of school for every threat we encounter; if _that _happens, he won't be going to college until he's thirty."

"With his math and science proficiency, he could easily attend and graduate from college by fifteen; he doesn't really _need _primary nor secondary schooling; missing at most a week of school would not inhibit his intelligence. He could pass his classes in his sleep." Walter replied as Paige linked both her hands with his. Her thumbs rubbed against his skin. "But," Walter considered Paige's response as he continued, "despite the fact that he is far beyond other normals his age, Mark Collins could very well send Ralph into the Rabbit Hole. Ralph paid his first visit down there when you were kidnapped; as I told you several months ago, I managed to coax him out of it, but with Collins, there's no telling how deep he could send Ralph if he has the chance to meet with him again. Ralph's mind is still developing; if Collins sends him down the Rabbit Hole, there's no guarantee I'd be able to bring him out – especially if I end up going down there too. We cannot give Mark Collins another opportunity to speak with Ralph again."

Paige inhaled a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Taking that into consideration," Paige hooked her arms around Walter's neck, "letting Ralph stay home for the time being might be a wise idea after all."

"Thank you," Walter muttered. He hardly ever showed his gratitude towards his friends and to Paige, but Mark Collins was simply someone he did not want Ralph to encounter ever again. Collins had already caused enough trouble for Scorpion; the last thing Walter wanted was for Collins to win at his mind games.

"You're welcome," Paige smiled before pulling him down for a heated kiss. Her fingers weaved into his curly hair as he strategically cupped her cheeks and gently backed her against the tree. "Next to Ralph," Paige mumbled as his palms found her shoulders, and his lips traveled down her jawline, "you are my most important thing, Walter." He kissed the nape of her neck. "One way or another," she whispered into his ear; the vibrations of her voice sent shivers down his spine, "I will find a way to protect you and Ralph from the Rabbit Hole." She then lightly nibbled on his ear. "I promise."

For the remainder of their hour, they distracted themselves from Mark Collins's ploy and then eventually agreed that they would resume their heated kisses in the bedroom later that night when they wouldn't have to worry about losing control of their libidos in a public setting.

Paige definitely had a dangerous effect on Walter; while he thoroughly enjoyed her ability to distract his mind from certain, unwanted thoughts, he also realized just how out of control he can be around her. She made him _want _to lose control. Before he met Paige, he never thought he would be so _comfortable _around a woman (much less anyone) for as long as he lived. He hated physical contact, but Paige had a different appeal to him than other people.

Walter thought about the time he had to go undercover and pretend to seduce a woman in order to learn some information about dangerous chemicals that were in her possession. The thought of _flirting _with another woman had made Walter grimace but hearing Paige's voice in his ear the whole time did make the espionage slightly tolerable. The only reason the operation was a success was because he kept telling himself that Paige was the woman he was actually flirting with; she might not have been physically in front of him, but all of his comments towards the woman from Yemen was directed to Paige and not her. Once the chemicals were apprehended, he and Paige had disappeared that night and made use of a hotel room he had booked for the purpose of the undercover operation.

When they made it back to the garage, Cabe was still gone. Ralph was playing chess with Sylvester, while Toby was playing his X-Box Live, and Happy was polishing one of her inventions. As Walter walked over to his desk to check his email and look into Mark Collins's escape, Paige hovered over Ralph and watched her son play against the grandmaster.

"Checkmate," Ralph said proudly; Sylvester slumped his shoulders in defeat.

"Aw man," Sylvester chuckled as he scratched his head, "I was sure I had that one."

"At least Ralph doesn't make you doubt your every move, Sly." Toby stated as he kept his attention on his game. "Be glad that Collins is no longer a problem in our lives."

"True. Very true." Sylvester smiled as Walter found Paige's concerned gaze.

Walter sighed and stood up from his desk. He walked over to Paige and Ralph, ruffled the boy's hair as he felt Paige's arm slide around his back. He naturally wrapped his arm around her shoulders; he definitely was improving with his physical responses under Paige's touch. "About that," Walter's voice trailed as Happy, Toby and Sly stopped what they were doing and looked at him. "It would seem that he's back…."

"And you know this, how?" Toby asked as he put his console down and walked over to Walter. Happy started making her way towards them as well.

"We almost found him talking to Ralph during his recess period today." Paige explained as she reached down and enclosed her hand around Ralph's. "He disappeared, though."

"How do you _almost _find someone?" Toby inquired as he folded his arms in front of him.

"We didn't exactly catch him in the act," Walter elaborated as Paige rubbed his back for encouragement. "But all of the markers Ralph had mentioned indicated that he was talking with Mark Collins."

"But, of course, Ralph didn't know who Mark Collins was to the team so he didn't see the harm in talking to another mentally enabled man." Paige added, defending her son.

"W-what do you think this means?" Sylvester asked as he pumped some Germ-X into his hands.

"We're screwed!" Toby exclaimed. "That's what it means!"

Everyone turned to look at Happy as she punched the wall. "How did Collins escape prison?"

"Cabe's at HQ getting all of the details; all we know is that he conveniently convinced the guards that he was crazy so they sent him to a facility for mental patients. He most likely found a way to escape after devising some sort of plan. Of course, the psych ward wouldn't say anything about it because they wouldn't want their rep to demolish. For all we know, Collins could have been on the loose for months." Walter frowned.

"And why didn't you tell us this sooner?" Toby raised an eyebrow. "Ralph was done with school over an hour ago; don't you think we have the right to know this?"

"That's why we're telling you now, Toby." Walter replied as he released Paige and circled back around to his desk. "Cabe ordered for us not to do anything until he returned from Homeland; considering who we're dealing with, I think it's prudent we do all we can from inside these walls _first_ and then see about what we're going to do about Collins. The last thing we want to do is find ourselves in the middle of one of his sick mind games." He streamed his computer to the TV screen. "I hacked into the prison's facility and located Mark Collins's files – he was transported to the psychiatric facility nearly five months ago."

"How does that help us now?" Sylvester asked as he started fiddling with his Rubik's Cube. "If the mental facility didn't want to announce Mark's disappearance, then it wouldn't be posted in their digital files."

"Sly's right," Toby nodded in agreement. He ran his hand though his hair. "Other than getting a psych evaluation from his files, they're pretty much useless. Perhaps Cabe has gathered useful information not found in the files."

"We can only hope." Sylvester said as he wiped the sweat off of his forehead. "Did he tell Ralph what he wanted?"

"I think it's pretty obvious." Happy spat. "He wants Walter to go back down the Rabbit Hole again. Except now he's going to be playing dirtier than ever. Approaching Ralph was a low blow."

"Which is why," Paige said as she picked her son up into her arms, "Walter and I decided it would be best to pull Ralph out of school until Mark Collins is apprehended. I can stop by Ralph's school and pick up any missed work for the time being. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to take Ralph upstairs. I'll be back shortly."

As Paige left for the stairs with Ralph in her arms, the group continued to discuss what they're going to do about Mark Collins. They talked about finding a way to bug the man, but in order to do that, they would have to find a way to get close to him, and all of them were against the idea of using either Walter or Ralph as bait. It was evident that Mark Collins had a strong effect over Walter; the team didn't want to risk Walter's mental state over something so risky. Using Ralph was out of the question. They also considered contacting Mark Collins using the radio, but there was no guarantee that Mark Collins would even listen to the channel they'd be hacking into. Walter thought about leaving some sort of message at Mark Collins's place, but the man was in hiding; there was no way Mark Collins would escape from the mental hospital only to reconvene at his house – the first place the authorities would check. By the time Paige returned, the team was still at square one.

"Perhaps," Paige started when the door to the garage opened and closed, causing everyone to find Cabe walking swiftly towards them.

"Homeland is aware of Collins's disappearance; there is an APB out there, and pretty much every branch of LA law officials have been notified about Collins. So, wherever he is, someone'll find him eventually." Cabe said as he placed his briefcase down on the sofa.

"What did you find out?" Walter inquired as he walked towards him.

"Other than what we already know? Nothing, unfortunately. Mark Collins is just too damn smart for us old Homeland folks. Perhaps your facial recognition program would be helpful." Cabe replied as he stretched his arms. Walter walked swiftly to his computer and began hacking into the FBI's software.

"I'm running the recognition now," Walter said as his fingers tapped on his keyboard. "If there's more than a 70% match, the system will beep. In the meantime, we need to figure out what we'll do with Collins once we find him."

"I've got a few ideas," Cabe said as he tapped his gun. "We'll take him to Homeland in pieces if we have to."

"I've been thinking," Paige suddenly caught everyone's attention, "What if we lay low for a while and pretend like Collins isn't back?" Everyone gawked at her with disbelief so she continued. "Think about it, what does Mark Collins crave above anything else?"

"To make Walter's life a living hell." Happy answered quickly.

"I agree with Happy," Sylvester nodded. "What Mark wants is unpleasant; it would be unwise not to retaliate."

"I'm not saying we should ignore Collins completely; just enough to draw him out – make _him _come to us. I know I'm not a genius, but I've picked up on quite a bit of things over the past several months. If we retaliate, we might be playing right into Mark Collins's hands. I mean, call me crazy, but what if he _wants _us to find him? From what I remember about him the last time we encountered him, he practically worshipped precision. I find it odd that he would spend a few weeks talking to Ralph and not consider the possibility of us finding out about it. It seemed more like a well-played move than an error on his part. It's almost like he _wanted _us to find out he has been talking with Ralph – that would send us on his trail and would then lead us directly where he wants us. I just think," Paige folded her arms in front of her, "it might be wise to lay low for a while."

"Paige might be onto something." Toby's eyes popped open. "If anything, one of the things Collins suffers from is a form of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder – a.k.a. OCD. He is abnormally obsessed with the idea of Walter going down the Rabbit Hole as well as him having a spot on the team."

"So if we pretend that Mark Collins doesn't mean a thing to us anymore," Happy continued, "_especially _if Walter pretends like Collins's presence had no effect on him, then he might just get desperate enough to come to us instead of making us go to him."

"Or," Sylvester gulped, "he might get even angrier and resort to violence to get what he wants."

"Not if we play our cards right," Happy rebutted as she folded her arms across her chest.

"Happy's right," Toby smirked. "I mean, it's a shot in the dark, but let's say we _don't _retaliate – especially Walter. After a while, Collins will realize we're not buying into his games. If we can prove to Collins that we are not as weak of a team as we were when he was with us, he'll most likely find a way to confront Walter. I can't say for sure that he won't come prepared, but it's a better tactic if we can get him to come to us; we'll have the advantage."

"A-and if h-he ups h-his g-game?" Sylvester stammered as he wiped the sweat off of his forehead again.

"We'll up ours." Walter replied as he patted Sylvester's back.

"If there's a chance we get to see Collins squirm by not retaliating, I'm all for it." Happy smirked. "I'll do anything to see that bastard wipe that smug grin off of his ugly face."

"Let's not forget the fact that Walter has something he didn't have the last time he went down the Rabbit Hole." Toby stated, causing everyone to look at him.

"What? Paige and Ralph?" Sylvester raised an eyebrow and then looked at Paige. She blushed at the young genius's comment.

"No. Sex." Toby deadpanned, causing both Paige and Sylvester to blush. Cabe's eyes widened, and Happy rolled her eyes. "Of course I meant Paige and Ralph, nimrod."

"O-oh. Right." Sylvester pressed his lips together. It suddenly got really quiet in the room.

Happy was the first to break the silence. "Anyway, Toby's right. Because of Paige and Ralph, Walter might just have a chance of staying out of the Rabbit Hole. No offence, Walt, but logic isn't all you think about these days; it may be harder for Collins to push you down the hole this time around. Cuz, I swear," Happy frowned, "If I have to force feed you again, Walt…."

"Dually noted, Happy." Walter cut her off before she could have time to finish her threat.

"Don't worry, Happy; Walter's mind is in good hands." Paige smiled as she leaned against Walter's shoulder.

"I'll bet." Toby coughed, causing both Happy and Cabe to laugh. Walter pretended to be unaffected by Toby's comment; Paige, however, was rendered speechless. "Perhaps," Toby winked, "pleasurable _stimulations_ will keep Walter from nose-diving down the Rabbit Hole. Perhaps we can apply our conditioning theory to more than just phobias, Walter." Toby nudged Walter's elbow playfully. "Huh? How about that, Walt?"

"If all we're going to be talking about is Walter, Paige and their sex life, then I have more important things to attend to." Happy stated as she turned around and headed for her desk. "If we're not going to pursue Collins for the time being, then there's nothing else to discuss."

Toby followed her. "You know, Happy! We _could _be talking about _our _future sex life too, you know!"

"You're delusional as ever, doc." Happy said as she sat at her desk. Walter, Paige and Cabe redirected their attentions towards the mechanic and the shrink; the way Happy smiled at Toby did not go unnoticed by either of them. Walter wondered if something was up between Toby and Happy; he knew they'd been playing some game of tug-o-war in regards to their mutual attraction towards one another, but it seemed like they were trying too hard to hide something.

"Good call on that no retaliation theory, kid." Cabe suddenly said, causing both Walter and Paige to look at him. He patted Paige's shoulder. "I know for a fact how geniuses like to take on challenges, and I think you're right; Collins approaching Ralph was nothing more than a calling card – him wanting Scorpion to accept his challenge. I think Walter's smarts are rubbing off on you, Paige."

"Perhaps," Paige laughed and then surprised Walter with a kiss on the cheek.

"Let's just hope Collins takes the bait." Cabe sighed. "Anyway," he looked towards the loft and then back towards Walter and Paige, "if you need me to call Ralph's school and inform them about Collins, I can do that; I can also provide a legitimate excuse for his absence if you choose to take him out of school for the time being."

"Thanks," Paige smiled and squeezed Cabe's shoulder. "I really appreciate it."

"We decided that it would be best for Ralph to remain here until Collins has been apprehended." Walter added.

Cabe nodded slowly. "That's not a bad idea." The man looked at his watch and sighed. "Well, it's almost 5:30 PM. I should get going; got a lonely house to return to." As Cabe headed for the door, Paige called out to him. While Cabe turned around, Walter looked at Paige, wondering what she had up her sleeve.

"I heard the sky is going to be very clear tonight," Paige smiled at Cabe. "I'm sure Ralph would love going to that observatory to get his mind off of things for a while. And I'm sure he would like to keep you company tonight too."

Cabe grinned. "I'd like that very much."

"Great! I'll go and get him!" Paige exclaimed and then raced off towards the stairs.

Walter returned his direction towards Cabe. Cabe was looking towards the loft. "I know none of this was probably planned when you hired Paige, but you've got yourself a great, little family, there, Walter."

"I know." Walter nodded.

"Paige and Ralph are extraordinary." Cabe added as he looked at Walter.

Walter smiled. "I know."

"Hold on to them, Walter," Cabe patted Walter's shoulder. "Hold onto them as damn hard as you can."

"I will." Walter spoke softly.

"Anyway," Cabe withdrew his hand, "while Paige is still upstairs, what are your thoughts about registering for a gun?"

**~ SCORPION ~**

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**WriterFreak001: **

MUAHAHAHAHAHA! I felt like this would be a good place to stop for now.

**_By the way, please do not ask me to update more frequently. I get it if you want to tell me to update ASAP, because I do. :P But asking me to update more often is like asking me to type twice as fast and not put some thought into my chapters. It's a process for me, so yeah. Thanks!_**

Anyway, I'm feeling slightly better; still hurt like hell though. :(

I hope you liked this chapter! I really struggled with the beginning of it so I hope it all doesn't seem OOC for the characters. I wanted to jump into the Collins stuff in the last chapter, but I also didn't want to rush through it; that's why I came up with the idea where the characters would use Collins's fixation against him. We'll see if that works out though. :D

What did you think? I hope there are more reviews for this chapter than there was for the last one.


	4. Chapter 4

**WriterFreak001: **

God, I love this freaking show! I just want it to make new episodes forever! X) The hiatus is killing me! I hope there's not another one after the 16th episode because three weeks of waiting is just ridiculous!

Anyway, here's chapter 4!

As I said, this story will be slightly steamier and more suggestive. I won't be going into full out 50 Shades of Grey detail (don't read it; it'll burn your retinas…I read the first ten chapters and was like: NOPE! Never again!), but scenes between WAIGE will be just a tad more descriptive than usual_**. Anyway, read at your own discretion. **_

Hope you enjoy it! :D

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**Title** | Mind Games

**Fandom** | _Scorpion_ (CBS)

**Description** | Post-Deception. Four months passed since the ending of "Deception," and it seemed as though life, for the most part, returned to normal for Team Scorpion. Walter and Paige were given a chance to focus on their relationship in the midst of all of the cases that were assigned to the team. However, eventually, all great things must end, and once again, Team Scorpion will have to deal with an even bigger opponent than the Leviathan Mafia. Mark Collins is back for revenge and will have something big in store for Walter – something even the 197 IQ genius might not be able to see coming. And Collins's return just might cause a rift within the Scorpion family in the process, making it next to impossible for them to beat his ultimate game.

**Rating**| This fanfiction will be rated T for violence, obscene language, sexual themes as well as brain stuff and fluff.

**POV** | Limited Third Person

**Disclaimer** | While CBS owns _**Scorpion**_, I am the owner of this masterpiece.

**Claimer** | I am human; there are bound to be mistakes. If you feel like something _should_ be changed, you have the power to send me a review/private message. I can't guarantee if I'll change it every time, but I do read all of my reviews and all of my private messages!

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**Mind Games**

**Sequel to**_** Deception**_

**Written by WriterFreak001**

**Chapter 4**

**~ S****CORPION ~**

"Registering for a gun?" Walter reiterated as his eyes popped open. He never considered himself wanting to ever wield a gun, but after recent events, the thought of owning a gun wasn't a bad idea – especially if it meant protecting Paige and Ralph from various threats. Or even protecting the rest of his team. Perhaps it wouldn't be such a bad idea if _everyone _registered for handguns.

"You heard me." Cabe folded his arms in front of him. "Of course you don't have to have an answer right away, but it might be a good idea for you to consider owning one. I can't always be here to protect all of your asses. Sylvester will shoot someone's eye out; Toby's not very good with his hands, and Happy would get too trigger-happy. Perhaps it would be something you could talk to Paige about. She might have an opinion on the matter."

"I'll…," Walter paused when he saw Paige and Ralph making their way down the steps, "think about it."

"Good." Cabe patted him on the back. As Paige and Ralph approached them, Ralph ran up to Cabe and smiled. Cabe bent down and ruffled his hair. "So, a little birdie tells me you're anxious about seeing the stars tonight."

"Yes, indeed." Ralph beamed. "I'd like that, very much."

"A kid with manners," Cabe chuckled as he winked at Paige. "is hard to come by these days."

"He learned from the best," Paige laughed and then handed Ralph his bag. "You be good for Cabe, okay?"

"Okay." Ralph nodded. "I'm determined to locate more constellations tonight!"

Walter walked away, scrawled something onto a piece of paper and then made his way back to the group. "When you get there," he handed the paper to Ralph, "be sure to check these coordinates out and tell me tomorrow what you find."

"Okay!" Ralph folded up the piece of paper hand pushed it into his pocket before taking Cabe's hand. "I'll see you tomorrow Mom. Bye Walter."

Paige bent down and kissed Ralph's forehead as Walter ruffled his hair. When Cabe and Ralph left the garage, Toby made his way over to Walter and Paige. "So," Toby slowly rocked himself back and forth as he folded his arms against his chest, "with Ralph gone for the night, are you two going upstairs to put the pleasure theory into practice?" Paige rolled her eyes as Walter gave Toby a distasteful look before the two of them walked away from the shrink and made their way towards Walter's desk. "What?! It was a fair question!"

"I don't know about you guys, but I'm going out to get some food. Feel free to join." Happy said as she pulled her hair up into a ponytail. "But be warned; I'm driving."

As Happy headed out of the garage, Toby smirked and tipped his hat towards Walter and Paige. "And that's my cue." Toby whirled around and headed for the door.

Sylvester quickly followed but stopped to add, "If the two of you decide to, you know, downstairs, please remember to disinfect any area you contaminate… Also, _please _stay away from my desk; I already cleaned it twice today." Before Walter and Paige could reply to Sylvester's comment, the human calculator raced out the door and called for Happy and Toby to wait for him.

It took a few minutes for both Walter and Paige to register Sylvester's statement as well as realize they were alone in the garage. "So," Walter clapped his hands together…. "Hungry?"

"Starving." Paige muttered before she planted a kiss on Walter's cheek. "Why don't _you _order some pizza and wait for it to arrive; then, once it has been delivered, meet me on the roof."

"The roof?" Walter raised an eyebrow. "Why the roof?"

"Just do it, okay?" Paige laughed and then pecked him on the lips. "I promise," she whispered into his ear, "It'll be _very _rewarding."

Walter's eyes shot open as he swallowed the lump in his throat. Shivers crawled up and down his spine. "Okay," he spoke quickly. She gave him a quick kiss on the lips, lightly tapped his cheek and then headed for the stairs. It took several minutes for Walter to remember the task Paige had given him as he thought about all of the possibilities of what Paige's words could have meant. As soon as he finished ordering two boxes of pizza, he looked towards the loft and then at his watch and then he looked at the loft again.

Waiting for the pizza was going to be the death of him.

**~ SCORPION ~**

"How the hell're you spotting all those damn constellations so fast?!" Cabe exclaimed as he looked through the telescope. Cabe could only spot The Big Dipper in the night sky – all of the other constellations look like nothing more than specks of light in the sky. He found the night sky beautiful, but the fact that he didn't have a great astronomic eye frustrated him to no end.

"It's easy," Ralph smiled as Cabe stepped away from the telescope. "As long as you know the celestial coordinates of any given star in a major constellation, like Betelgeuse within the belt of Orion, you can then locate the rest of the connecting stars within that constellation."

"Is there a simpler way to do all of this?" Cabe laughed as he ruffled Ralph's hair. "I may be smart, kid, but I'm not _that _smart."

Ralph pulled out a plastic chart out of his backpack and handed it to Cabe. "Here." Ralph smiled. "Walter helped me make it; it's a star chart for the Lost Angeles area. I have eleven others in my room; this one is just for March. I don't need it, but maybe it could help you locate more constellations than a portion of Ursa Major – aka The Big Dipper."

"Don't mind if I do." Cabe chuckled as he took the chart from Ralph and started studying it. "So," he lowered the chart down and looked at Ralph, "I don't know if anyone has ever asked you this, kiddo, but what do you feel about your mother and Walter dating?"

Ralph looked into the telescope as he answered Cabe. "Walter makes my mom happy, and Mom makes Walter happy too. Therefore, their relationship is absolute and warrants no other analysis on my part." Then, he returned to the telescope and looked into the sky.

"I'm sure they'd be glad to hear that from you sometime in the future." Cabe grinned; "I think you and your mother has been the best thing that has ever happened to Walter. It doesn't take a genius to know that Walter loves your mother. Your mother obviously loves Walter too."

"I know," Ralph smiled as he offered the telescope up to Cabe. "Mom told me several months ago that there was a possibility in which Walter could become my new dad. She would only say that if she wanted it to happen; otherwise, she wouldn't have said anything at all."

"That's a keen observation, son." Cabe patted Ralph's back. "You're definitely well beyond your years, kid."

"Thanks." Ralph replied and then looked at the sky. For the rest of their mini fieldtrip, Cabe and Ralph were silent and simply enjoyed the beauty around them as they admired the stars.

**~ SCORPION ~**

Once the pizza arrived, Walter paid the delivery man and then sprinted up the stairs towards the loft. Then he climbed up the stairs towards the roof; when he opened the door, he was not expecting to see a white table cloth draped over the picnic table nor the lit candle displayed as a centerpiece. He also saw an inflatable mattress with various blankets sitting on top of it. He was certainly curious as to what Paige Dineen was planning. He placed the pizza boxes on the table and was caught by surprise when a pair of soft hands covered his eyes from behind him.

"What is all of this?" He asked, knowing who was shielding his eyes.

"Just something I threw together last minute." Paige replied as she removed her palms from his eyes. He turned around, and she hooked her arms around him. "We haven't been out on a date in a long while so I thought this might suffice."

"It's definitely unexpected," Walter commented as he scanned the rooftop again. "Just wondering…," he looked at the makeshift bed again, "what is the bed for?"

"To watch the stars," Paige shrugged, laughed and then winked. "And, perhaps, anything else you'd be comfortable with." Before he could reply, she pulled him down for a slow kiss and then led him to the picnic table. "But first," she sat down; he sat down across from her, "let's eat. I'm famished."

For the next half hour, Walter and Paige eventually finished one of the two ordered boxes of pizza, discussed recent cases and mutually agreed _not _to talk about Mark Collins. The man had caused too much drama in their lives already, and they weren't going to give him the satisfaction of being the number one topic in their conversations. Once they were done with dinner, the migrated over to the inflated mattress and gazed at the stars.

Walter then turned to look at Paige. "What's your favorite constellation?"

"It's not out this time of year." Paige laughed as she continued to stare at the stars.

"I can disprove that theory," Walter replied quickly and then repeated his question. "Tell me, what's your favorite constellation?"

"You really want to know?" She finally looked at him, raising her eyebrow.

"I wouldn't have asked if I didn't." Walter said as his fingers grazed Paige's palm underneath the blankets.

"True," Paige smiled and then turned to look at the sky again. "It's Cygnus."

Paige's answer caught Walter's undivided attention. "Why Cygnus?" He wasn't trying to make fun of her favorite constellation; he was actually curious of how the constellation, Cygnus, became Paige's favorite one. Most people either choose Ursa Major or Orion – his was Scorpio for obvious reasons, and he was half-expecting her to have the same response. Cygnus was certainly not an answer he was expecting.

"I've always liked swans," Paige shrugged. "That's all."

"Okay," Walter nodded, accepting the challenge. He stared at the sky for a few minutes and then nodded. "Give me your hand."

"Okay?" Paige laughed as she placed her hand into Walter's palm. He used her pointer finger to connect various stars together. "While Cygnus isn't actually present this time of year, as you had said, you can still be able to create your own version of the constellation with the observable stars in the night sky. While this technique isn't an exact science, it's always interesting to see what your mind can come up with when you look at the sky."

"Since when were you a fan of imagination, Walter?" Paige raised an eyebrow.

"Since I saw the movie _A Beautiful Mind_." Walter deadpanned, causing Paige to laugh. "Anyway, northeast of the Moon is Jupiter." He glided her finger across the sky to a dim star. "Now, you are pointing at Aldebaran, a star that's part of the constellation, Taurus. Assume the angle from Jupiter to Aldebaran represents the body of Cygnus." Walter continued to trace a makeshift Cygnus with Paige's finger. The wings were formed by Sirius, Betelgeuse and Capella. Walter could tell that Paige was thoroughly impressed with the way he used stars from other constellations and a planet to create a different constellation altogether. "Like I said," he stared at the sky as Paige leaned in and kissed his cheek, "it isn't an exact science so it's not entirely accurate, but it's an entertaining pastime."

Paige laid her head against his shoulder and pressed her hand against his chest. "I still can't understand how you aren't able to see the beauty in art, Walter; like it or not, what you just demonstrated _is _quite an art form."

"Paintings are different than astronomy, Paige," Walter replied as he stared at the sky. "Paintings, to me, are nothing more than paint on the canvas. While I recognize the fact that some arts have meaning to most people, I still don't understand the aesthetics of colors on a canvas. Astronomy, however, holds the secrets of the universe. What I demonstrated to you, Paige, isn't art." Walter caught her case, "It's nothing but astronomical mathematics – you know, calculating right ascension and declination. That sort of thing."

"Call it what you want, Walter," Paige laughed before leaning in to give him a quick kiss. "it's still a form of art."

"I disagree." Walter gulped as Paige trapped him against the inflatable bed.

"We'll see about that," Paige whispered into his ear before she kissed hard on the mouth. As things started to escalate, Paige pulled away from him and then rose to her feet. She straightened out her clothes and headed for the door. "We can continue where we left off in the bedroom." When she disappeared, Walter took a moment to process what had just happened and the moment Paige's words registered, he jumped off of the inflatable mattress and made his way to the door.

Oh, the things that woman did to him.

**~ SCORPION ~**

"So," Toby said as he tossed a fry into his mouth, "Sly, what are the chances that Walter and Paige will decide to get hitched in the next few years? They're practically married already seeing as they are pretty much inseparable. It's only a matter of time before Paige will probably want to make things official."

"They're not going to get married," Happy rebutted before taking a sip from her beer bottle. "Walt doesn't believe in that marriage crap."

"Well," Toby shrugged, "Walter never really believed in love either; now look him. I don't know if he actually _calls _his feelings for Paige 'love,' but Mr. 197 is whipped more than the cream you put on Apple Pie! He'll do just about anything for Paige and Ralph. If that's not what love is, then don't call me Dr. Tobias Curtis anymore."

"We don't call you that anyway," Sylvester replied as he sipped his vanilla shake from his straw.

"That's not the point." Toby rolled his eyes. "Anyway, what d'you think, Sly? Think Walt will tie the knot anytime soon?"

"It's hard to say…; I agree with Happy in some respect because, like she said, before meeting Paige, Walter wasn't really into the whole settling down thing."

"He wasn't really into the whole girlfriend thing either." Happy added.

"And yet," Toby threw his hands up to mimic a volcanic explosion, "Walter O'Brien is smitten with Paige Dineen, adores Ralph and is practically glued to Paige 24/7. Without legal documentation, he and Paige are basically married."

"You didn't let me finish, Toby." Sylvester frowned. He sipped from his shake again. "What I was _going _to add was that after Walter and Paige started dating, Walter became very unpredictable. Who _knew _the guy was actually a romantic?"

"I wouldn't go as far as calling Walt a romantic," Happy said before taking another swig of her beer.

"But he sure knows how to woo Paige, that's for sure." Toby laughed. "Talk about your constants and your universes."

"Anyway," Sylvester shrugged, "I mean, it's possible… that Walter might consider the possibility of settling down with Paige and Ralph, but I don't see that happening for another year or so. But who knows, Paige is more unpredictable than Walter has been as of lately; perhaps _she _might ask Walter to make some kind of commitment."

"Whether he's made one or not, I'm pretty damn sure Walt's committed." Toby chuckled. "After all, Paige _is _Walter's longest romantic relationship. She seems to be the only woman he's ever been able to emotionally connect with; the man says he doesn't have emotions, but Paige is walking proof that Walter emotes on some level."

"Fine. Let's bet on it." Happy smirked. "Fifty bucks say Walt and Paige won't get married within next two years."

"I beg to differ," Toby raised his eyebrows. "Raising the stakes to 100. I say Walter and Paige _will _tie the knot in the next six months."

Toby and Happy looked at Sylvester. "Sly?"

"Oh no. I'm not betting anything. Money already makes me nervous as is, and there's no way I'm going to get involved. If they get married, they get married. If they don't, well, I'm sure they have their reasons."

"You fun-sucker." Toby frowned. "I swear, Sly, you need to get laid."

"I could say the same thing to you, Doc." Happy deadpanned as Sylvester's cheeks reddened.

"You know you could help with that," Toby winked at Happy.

"You're disgusting." Happy rolled her eyes as she slapped money on the table. "Come on, Sly. Let's ditch this joint and leave Toby living in his fantasies." As she started to leave, both Toby and Sylvester followed.

"Uh, where are we going to go?" Sylvester asked as they hopped into the van.

"Sly has a point, Happy. By now, Walt and Paige are probably christening the entire garage. Not something I'd like to walk in on." Toby admitted.

"Grow up both of you; I'm sure Walter and Paige wouldn't be that stupid; they know we have to return at some point." Happy replied as she turned on the car. "And if they happen to be doing the nasty downstairs, then us walking in on them will teach them a lesson to keep their sexual activities upstairs in Walt's bedroom where it belongs."

"I'm so going to regret this." Sylvester muttered as Happy stepped on the gas and raced home.

**~ SCORPION ~**

It didn't take long for Walter and Paige to end up on his bed, entangled in the sheets. Even though they had been sleeping together for several months, each time they had sex, Walter felt as though he was re-experiencing everything with Paige for the first time, but he didn't know why. He just knew that the way she made him feel with every kiss…, lick…, touch… was extraordinary – _Paige _was extraordinary in everything she did. And yet she was modest about it. No matter how many times they've slept together, Paige never _tried _to physically impress him – from what he could tell, everything they did together was perfectly natural. Walter would be an idiot to deny the fact that he enjoyed having sex with Paige.

"A penny for your thoughts?" Paige asked as she met his gaze and drew imaginary circles along his chest.

"Nothing worth divulging." Walter replied; his arms tightened around the woman's form and firmly held her against him. She hooked hands around his neck and then curled her fingers into his hair as she leaned in to kiss him.

"I have a theory," Paige suddenly muttered as her lips tantalized his jawline. Walter remained silent and closed his eyes, wanting nothing more than to listen to her voice hum into his ear. When he didn't respond, she continued. "Earlier, while we were the roof, you had mentioned how much you appreciated the astronomical aesthetics of the night sky."

"Go on," he mumbled and rolled his eyes towards the heavens as Paige pushed her belly against his.

"And I told you that, to me, your demonstration on the roof was a beautiful form of art." Paige continued slowly; Walter nodded in response and then received a kiss from Paige. She teased him by how slow her lips moved against his, and he had to wonder if she was trying to prove something to him. "Well," she smirked against his lips, "I don't think the way you and I see things are all that different."

"What do you mean?" Walter raised an eyebrow.

Paige used her strength to roll both of them over until she was directly underneath Walter. "There. That's better," she laughed as she pulled Walter down for another kiss. As his lips traveled down to her collarbone, she continued with her analysis. "Despite the fact that you and I see the world differently," Paige cupped Walter's face and caused him to stop his ministrations as she caught his gaze. "we both find the night sky fascinating in our own way – the mathematics and the science behind the universe are what appeals to you; the colors and the beauty of the sky are what appeals to me. At the end of the day," Paige smiled, "you and I are both talking about the same sky."

"I can see you're trying to get somewhere with this," Walter assessed as her fingers melted against his neck.

"Eventually, I will." Paige laughed. "But answer this first." She reached for her phone and pulled up a picture of a painting. "This painting is an example of a Cubist painting by Pablo Picasso in the early twentieth century. The goal of Cubism was to break down items to its simplest structures to convey the idea that not everyone sees the same shape; Cubism is heavily based on perception. So, my question," she placed the phone into his hands, "to you is: can you find appreciation for a Cubist painting as opposed to something painted by Jackson Pollock or even Thomas Kinkaid?"

"First of all," Walter chuckled, "I don't know who those other artists are. To answer your question, though," Walter looked at the painting again, "from a geometric approach, I can see how the painting would have value, and I have to agree that _this_painting appears to be more intellectually engaging…," he licked his lips, "than most," he caught her gaze, "but I still don't understand why colors on canvases could be worth millions."

Paige took her phone and placed it back on the dresser. "Your answer is good enough for me," she laughed and squeezed her legs against his hips.

He still felt like there was more to her assessment. "You're still reaching for something…." Suddenly, Paige slid out from underneath Walter and turned on the bedside lamp. She stood directly in front of him, and he couldn't help but gaze at her naked body. He gulped. "What're you doing, Paige?"

"In your own words, Walter O'Brien, I want you to describe what you see." Paige challenged him.

"You what?" he raised an eyebrow.

"You heard me."

"I'm not comfortable doing that," Walter shook his head even though he continued to stare at her body.

"Okay, fine." Paige shrugged as she headed for the door.

"What're you doing?"

"I'm going to go and get another genius's opinion," Paige shrugged.

Walter couldn't tell if she was kidding or actually being serious. He was pretty sure she was only kidding, but he didn't dare want to risk it. "Okay. Fine." Walter gave into Paige's demands. Paige smiled and walked back over to him. He disclosed all of the ways he found her body aesthetically pleasing and was rewarded with much more than just a kiss. He didn't know what Paige was trying to prove, but he couldn't complain about the way she rewarded him. Many minutes pass, and the two were well spent. Paige's leg was curled around Walter's waist, and her hand was teasing his chest hair as she lay her cheek against his collarbone. Walter still couldn't believe how much power Paige held over him, but he was beginning to accept it even more.

"And," Paige muttered softly and then kissed his collarbone, "after what we just did, can you honestly tell me you still see sex as nothing more than – well – sex?" Her question caught Walter's attention. "Earlier tonight, you were still able to see beauty in the night sky – it might not have been described as I would have described it, but you were still fascinated by the mysteries the universe has to offer. Your description of the night sky wasn't just based on pure logic – not to me, anyway." She pushed herself upwards until she was able to press her chest against his and trap him against his bed. "And when you described what you saw in that Cubist painting…and when you told me everything you see whenever you see my body… you still were able to see aesthetic value in the painting… and in me," she licked her lips, "so," she cupped his cheeks, "I can't believe – after everything we just did and have done together – you would still think that all we do is just sex."

So _that _was what her angle was. He didn't think his statement from earlier in the afternoon had bothered her so much. "Paige…," he started but she hushed him.

"When I do this…," she nibbled on his ear, "or this," she weaved her hands through his hair, "and this," she placed kisses on his eyelids, then his nose, his lips, jawline, the crook of his neck, his chest and then a sensitive area just underneath his navel before climbing back up his body to meet his gaze, "and also this," she kissed him hard on the mouth as she pushed her abdomen against his, "I am not just having sex with you, Walter." She kissed him again and whispered, "I am making love to you too."

"Paige," he finally caught her attention as he cupped her face into his palms. "I h-had no intention of mak – of making you th-think that what we do…what we do together is nothing, um, nothing more than sexual intercourse. As you know," he paused and curled a strand of her hair behind her ear, "I am not, um, the best at processing nor translating my feelings – espe-especially when th-they're about…when they're about you. I _d-do _feel like I'm, um, like I'm getting better, but we b-both know I, um, I have a long way to go." He lightly pressed his lips against hers and then continued. Even though he had been dating Paige for almost six months, he still had trouble verbalizing his feelings. "The r-reason I, um, I continually referred to _this_," he gestured towards their perfectly aligned bodies, "as, um, as sexual intercourse is b-because it's…it's easier for me to, um, to process from an ana…an analytical p-p-perspective." He webbed his fingers through her hair, "The b-best way," he closed his eyes and inhaled a deep breath before letting it slowly, "The best way for m-me to, um, to explain this scenario is to say th-that there is a, um, a barrier that separates what…that separates what goes on i-in here," he tapped his temple, "and," he swallowed the lump in his throat, "and what happens inside this bedroom."

Before he could continue, Paige pressed her mouth against his and then started feathering hot kisses down his jawline, along his neck and towards his collarbone. "Th-that being said," Walter added, "I hope I have adequately clarified myse–"

"Just shut up and let me kiss you," Paige cut Walter off before she anxiously slid her tongue inside his mouth as she started doing wicked, wicked things to his body. The sensations he felt were so surreal and visceral – he wanted nothing more than to spend the rest of his life showing Paige _exactly_ how much he loved her.

There would be no sleeping in Walter's bedroom tonight.

**~ SCORPION ~**

* * *

**WriterFreak001: **

Well, hello. That was one juicy chapter! I enjoyed writing it, and I hope you enjoyed reading it. I hope the ending scene wasn't out of your comfort zone. I also hope the characters aren't OOC, either. This is my imagination as to how Walter and Paige would be like if and when they are together on the show. (Fingers crossed that it happens in Season 2).

As far as Quintis goes in this fic: I know it is slow moving. I know a lot of people probably disagree with me, but while I think Quintis would be cute together, the romance (as far as right now) in the show between Happy and Toby doesn't appeal to me. So far, it seems only one-sided. Toby has constantly told Happy how he feels about her, and yet Happy keeps pulling away. Obviously she has a lot of internal conflict to sort through first. Yes, she was jealous of Toby in "Charades," but I still think she has a while to go before admitting to herself that she likes / is in love with Toby. Then again, I don't know what will happen in future episodes – that is just my take on the relationship.

Anyway, I still hope you enjoyed this chapter! :)


	5. Chapter 5

**WriterFreak001: **

Just to let you know, after this chapter, updates might be a tiny bit slower because I have an idea for a one-shot I want to write BEFORE the sixteenth episode premieres on the 9th of February. I know I have plenty of time to get it done, but I'd rather do it right than rush the one-shot. :)

**FUN FACT: **

The stargazing in the last chapter – those aren't just random stars I threw in there. I literally looked up what the night sky would look like in LA with a computer program I have called _Stellarium_. The program is free if you want to download it for yourself; then, maybe you'll be able to see what I was seeing on the program. If people want, I can take a snapshot of what I was describing and then post it on my Tumblr page. It's up to you. :)

Anyway, thank you for the reviews so far! I hope you enjoy this next chapter! :D

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**Title** | Mind Games

**Fandom** | _Scorpion_ (CBS)

**Description** | Post-Deception. Four months passed since the ending of "Deception," and it seemed as though life, for the most part, returned to normal for Team Scorpion. Walter and Paige were given a chance to focus on their relationship in the midst of all of the cases that were assigned to the team. However, eventually, all great things must end, and once again, Team Scorpion will have to deal with an even bigger opponent than the Leviathan Mafia. Mark Collins is back for revenge and will have something big in store for Walter – something even the 197 IQ genius might not be able to see coming. And Collins's return just might cause a rift within the Scorpion family in the process, making it next to impossible for them to beat his ultimate game.

**Rating**| This fanfiction will be rated T for violence, obscene language, sexual themes as well as brain stuff and fluff.

**POV** | Limited Third Person

**Disclaimer** | While CBS owns _**Scorpion**_, I am the owner of this masterpiece.

**Claimer** | I am human; there are bound to be mistakes. If you feel like something _should_ be changed, you have the power to send me a review/private message. I can't guarantee if I'll change it every time, but I do read all of my reviews and all of my private messages!

* * *

**Mind Games**

**Sequel to**_** Deception**_

**Written by WriterFreak001**

**Chapter 5**

**~ S****CORPION ~**

As Paige slept soundly in Walter's arms, he couldn't help but wonder how his life had turned out to be so blessed since Paige and Ralph entered his life. He might not believe in God or any other deity, but he would be a fool if he didn't count the woman curled up against him and the boy he had grown to adore as blessings. He hardly deserved to live a happy life, but he believed it was okay to be selfish every once in a while – especially if it meant keeping the things he held dear in his life from vanishing. He could get used to waking up every morning with Paige peacefully sleeping within his arms; even though it was sometimes hard to process the emotions he felt whenever he was with Paige, he knew that the feelings he _did _feel were good ones. And sometimes, that was enough for him to live by.

He spent several minutes listening to her slow breaths as they tickled the hairs on his chest, and the longer he watched her sleep, the more he realized that humanity wasn't always a weakness. It was often a strength, too. Sometimes both at the same time.

While Walter reached over to his bedside table to check the time, Paige stretched against him and then mumbled a soft good morning as she feathered a trail of kisses along his collarbone. When he turned to face her, she greeted him with a short, chaste kiss. As she pulled away, she reached over him and checked the time on his phone.

"If you wanted to know what the time was, you could have asked." Walter said as Paige relaxed against him and wrapped her arms around his neck.

She laughed and gave him another short kiss. "Oh, but it's much more fun," she whispered into his ear, "feeling my body press against yours."

Walter's ears burned in response, but before he could think of something to say, Paige pulled him into a heated kiss. Minutes passed before either one of them was ready to leave the bed, but as the sun slowly seeped through the curtains, they knew they would have to get ready for the day sometime. Paige was the first to slide off of the bed. She grabbed Walter's hand and led him to the bathroom. Most mornings, since the first time he and Paige had slept together, they would share the shower too. While Paige had seen it as a romantic way to start the morning, Walter saw it as more efficient. He thought it was a waste of water to shower separately in the morning when both of them normally woke up without any clothing anyway. Even if it was efficient in Walter's opinion, he couldn't deny the fact that he enjoyed the romantic aspect of it too.

As Paige turned on the water, Walter remembered the first morning Paige had convinced him to join her in the shower. They had shared their first romantic night together, and while Walter had been perfectly content with the idea of showering after her, she rubbed his favorite term, _efficient_, in his face, giving him a compelling argument – something his intellectual mind couldn't refuse. Showering for the first time had been very awkward for both of them, but, like every other romantic endeavor they had pursued, the awkwardness died away in intervals. Now, it was as normal to Walter as wearing a tie every single day, and he liked the fact that it was something built into his routine.

Being with Paige in every single way had become a part of his lifestyle, and it wasn't something he would ever want to sever himself from. She was his constant, and constants never die nor fade from existence. They transcend time, and because of Paige, he believed there was a reason she and Ralph were placed into his life. At first, he thought her employment was to benefit the team, and while she certainly _did _benefit the team in her own, unique way, he was beginning to understand that Paige's role in Scorpion was much more than serving as the translator for the team, but for him as well. In some ways, Paige had translated the world to Walter on a more intimate level than she did for the team, but if she could help _him _understand the world in a different light, then ultimately, she was also helping the team.

"See something you like?" Paige smiled as she caught him staring at her soft skin.

Walter shook his thoughts away. "No, um, I was just thinking."

"Come on, Mr. O'Brien," she winked as she pulled him into the shower. The warm water pelted against their bodies as she hooked her arms around his neck and pressed her lips gently against his. Then she pulled away slightly, wrapped her legs around his waist and whispered, "The soap can't apply itself," as she then pointed to her body wash.

"Due to our current, um, our compromising position," his palms slid downwards to support her weight against him, "soap is most likely the _last _thing on your mind, Paige."

"You read me so well," Paige laughed, rubbed her nose against his and then pulled him into a deep kiss. As Paige's lips tantalized his wet skin, he couldn't help but think about all of the water they were wasting. And then Paige started to claw at his back as her lips found his again. "Just let go," she whispered against his ear before he felt her tongue swipe across the sensitive area just under. His eyes rolled upwards in response to the stimulus; as she continued to fuel his arousal, he gave in to her sexual ploy and trapped her against the shower wall before kissing her hard on the mouth. Paige pulled back slightly and smiled wickedly. "Now that's more like it."

Those words were all he needed to hear to lose control completely.

Efficiency would just have to wait a while longer.

**~ SCORPION ~**

By the time Walter and Paige forced themselves to get ready for the day and venture down to the lower level, it was close to ten in the morning, and the rest of the team was scattered about the garage, working on their own projects. Toby was reading, as usual. Happy was cleaning her motorcycle, and Sylvester was at his chalkboard. Cabe and Ralph were nowhere to be found. Walter assumed Cabe had taken the boy out for breakfast and would bring him back later.

"I was beginning to wonder if the two of you drowned up there," Toby chuckled as he looked up from his books. "That was an _awfully _long shower the two of you were taking."

Sylvester's eyes popped open and stared at Walter and Paige. "Wait…. You two…shower together? As in… together – together?!"

"That's what happens when you're in a sexual relationship, Sly." Happy said as she approached everyone and wiped the grease off of her eyebrow.

"Yeah," Toby smirked, "And by the length of time the shower was running, I assume the two of you did the nasty, cleaned up and did the nasty again. Or maybe you cleaned up and spent the rest of the shower time making hot sweet love in the tub."

As flustered as Paige was, Walter was annoyed with Toby's psychoanalysis – as always, but the reaction that caught the shrink's attention was Sylvester's. His eyes were wide, his mouth was agape and he was rendered speechless. Toby burst out laughing as Happy gave him a high-five. Finally, the human calculator spoke. "So..., you're saying…," Sylvester paused as he squirted Germ-X into his hands and rubbed them together and then looked at Toby, "that Walter and Paige could be…covered in s—"

"Okaaay," Paige finally said something, "I think we're done here." She looked at Sylvester. "I assure you, Sylvester, the only thing _dirty _in this garage is Toby's mouth."

"Hell, I could have told Sly that!" Happy smirked as she folded her arms in front of her.

Paige glared at Toby and then walked over to Sylvester's desk to give herself some Germ-X. She rubbed her hands together and raised an eyebrow as Sylvester wiped the pump off with an antibacterial wipe. "Really?"

"Better safe than sorry." Sylvester said and then walked over to the stairs to start cleaning the rail.

"Come onnnn," Toby stretched as he circled around his desk and walked up to Walter and Paige. "I'm just having some fun."

"Another reason why you need to get laid." Happy said as she strutted to her desk.

"And I told you last night, Happy!" Toby hollered across the room, "Sex can't happen by itself!"

"Masturbation can." Happy deadpanned as she collected some of her tools and walked over to her workspace.

Toby grinned. "Are you admitting that you think dirty thoughts of me, Happy? I'm flattered!"

"What?!" Happy stopped what she was doing and stared at the shrink as Walter and Paige watched the exchange between the two geniuses. "No! Gross!"

"Oh, admit it!" Toby winked. Then his face paled when she walked towards him with a chainsaw in her arms. "T-that's not for _me_, is it?"

"If you continue to piss me off, I might just accidentally turn it on and let it slip from my fingers." Happy frowned as she circled back around to her workspace and placed the chainsaw into a cubby. "I'm heading out. Don't follow." She fumed as she marched out the door.

Toby gulped. "W-what just happened?"

Paige smirked. "She laid down the law."

Walter, however, couldn't really make sense of it either.

"As much as I know about the human psyche," Toby muttered, "I'll _never _begin to understand that feisty woman."

"If you rely on your psychoanalyses to understand Happy, you never will." Paige replied as she grabbed her purse.

"You haven't known Happy for as long as I have," Toby folded his arms in front of him, challenging Paige to elaborate.

"No. I haven't," Paige frowned. "But assume I know a little bit about being a woman," Paige folded her arms in front of her and approached Toby's desk with Walter in tow.

"You have me intrigued. Go on." Toby raised an eyebrow.

"Not to sound rude or anything, but when you psychoanalyze people, Toby, you're invading personal boundaries. It's fine when you're profiling people for cases, but when you're with your friends? You might want to dial it down a bit; some people don't like being exploited – especially women. Obviously, psychoanalyzing Happy isn't getting you anywhere. Perhaps you should try treating her like a genuine person instead of teasing her – women, even badass ones like Happy, don't like being teased." Before Toby could say anything, Paige grabbed Walter's hand and headed for the door to get the breakfast they had planned to pick up.

**~ SCORPION ~**

Mark Collins sat in the back of the diner where Walter and _the replacement _were eating their breakfast. In order to successfully follow the inseparable pair, Mark Collins had shaved off his beard, started wearing contacts and dressed in casual clothes so he could appear like an average Joe. He grimaced as he watched Walter squeeze _the replacement's_ hand underneath the table, smile at her and steal kisses while they were waiting for their food. The Walter O'Brien he knew would have never displayed certain levels of affection in public. The Walter he knew didn't believe in love, only facts. And yet, _the replacement _was proof that Walter O'Brien had been always capable of EQ; that was the one thing which separated Mark and Walter. Even though Mark's IQ was not as high as Walter's, he understood that emotions were weaknesses. Humanity was a weakness. Normalcy was an abomination. Walter, however, _did _care for _some _things – like his sister, Megan. And his team. And the willingness to help others. While Mark Collins wanted nothing more than to keep his intellect to himself, Walter sought to share his with others – and that was Walter's flaw.

Once, Mark had almost compelled Walter into believing that nothing in the world but facts and figures existed – that he was free to use his intellect as he pleased and would never have to be exploited by intellectual inferiors. Walter almost bought into the reality Collins had created until his friends managed to find a way to destroy it. And then Walter had Mark committed to a psychiatric facility.

As much as Mark Collins wanted to hate Walter O'Brien for committing him, he was grateful for the time he spent in the loony bin. His time in the psych ward made him realize how incompetent people truly were – especially Walter. If Walter believed that Scorpion was making a difference in the world, Mark Collins was going to find a way to destroy Walter's confidence in the team – even if it meant permanently removing someone the 197 IQ genius cared about.

He followed Walter and _the replacement _back to the garage where they were the only ones home at the time. Mark Collins made his way to the roof of the building across the street from the Scorpion garage and pulled out his binoculars. He saw shadows through the windows hastily making their way up the stairs. He did not expect them to make their way to the roof. He was disgusted with the way Walter pressed his body up against _the replacement_, trapping her against the bricked wall around the corner from the door. As _the vixen _pushed her tongue down Walter's throat, the way the genius's palms fondled the woman's clothed breasts and thrust his groin against her pelvis sickened Mark to no end.

_Paige Dineen _was becoming a distraction for Walter O'Brien. She impaired Walter's judgment and hindered the man from going to greatness. Walter _could _be great if he accepted and embraced the Rabbit Hole. Paige was becoming a nuisance, and she needed to be dealt with.

And soon.

One way or another, Walter O'Brien will fall down the Rabbit Hole again – and the next time he does, there would be no escape.

**~ SCORPION ~**

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**WriterFreak001: **

I know this chapter was shorter than the last one, but I thought the Collins section would be a good place to stop. Also, as weird as it sounds, I had fun writing for Mark Collins. He's a devious character so it was great trying to see Walter and Paige from his own perspective. I intentionally made what Collins witnessed on the roof sound dirty because Collins is a dirty person – basically, he would see things for what they were to him – therefore, he would think like that too.

I hope you enjoyed this chapter; I know a lot didn't happen in it, but it gets the story going. :) The next chapter should have more in it.

Please review! :)


	6. Chapter 6

**WriterFreak001: **

If you haven't checked it out yet, please read my newest WAIGE FFN, "Love Boat."

That story will be probably no more than 5 chapters long so technically it is a multi-part one-shot. :)

As an answer to a reviewer's question, the diner in the last chapter was NOT the same diner as portrayed in the pilot. It's just a random diner – like Denny's or something.

Let me get this out of the way now, there will NOT be any major character deaths in any of my fanfictions. Because, honestly, that would be just too damn cruel! O_O

Anyway, other than that FFN, nothing new, really. Thanks for all of the reviews! :)

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**Title** | Mind Games

**Fandom** | _Scorpion_ (CBS)

**Description** | Post-Deception. Four months passed since the ending of "Deception," and it seemed as though life, for the most part, returned to normal for Team Scorpion. Walter and Paige were given a chance to focus on their relationship in the midst of all of the cases that were assigned to the team. However, eventually, all great things must end, and once again, Team Scorpion will have to deal with an even bigger opponent than the Leviathan Mafia. Mark Collins is back for revenge and will have something big in store for Walter – something even the 197 IQ genius might not be able to see coming. And Collins's return just might cause a rift within the Scorpion family in the process, making it next to impossible for them to beat his ultimate game.

**Rating**| This fanfiction will be rated T for violence, obscene language, sexual themes as well as brain stuff and fluff.

**POV** | Limited Third Person

**Disclaimer** | While CBS owns _**Scorpion**_, I am the owner of this masterpiece.

**Claimer** | I am human; there are bound to be mistakes. If you feel like something _should_ be changed, you have the power to send me a review/private message. I can't guarantee if I'll change it every time, but I do read all of my reviews and all of my private messages!

* * *

**Mind Games**

**Sequel to**_** Deception**_

**Written by WriterFreak001**

**Chapter 6**

**~ S****CORPION ~**

As Cabe drove Ralph back to the garage, he was grateful that Paige had allowed him to take the boy out for the night. In many ways, Ralph reminded him of Walter when he was a preteen; both geniuses aspired to be greater, and they were inspired to help as many people as they could with their God-given intellect. When Walter was Ralph's age, Cabe had taught him how to be a man; he could only hope that Walter planned on taking on the responsibility to teach Ralph the things Cabe had taught him over the years. Ralph was a good influence on Walter, and so was Paige. If there was anybody capable of bring out and maintaining Walter's humanity, it was certainly Paige and Ralph. The two of them combined have made Walter O'Brien more human in the last six months than when Walter started his company to help people.

If there was anything Cabe had wanted Walter to remember from all of the life lessons he had taught him, it would be to hold on to the things that mattered most, especially when they tend to slip away the fastest.

When they arrived to the garage, Ralph ran inside while Cabe called Homeland to see if there were any available cases. He was relieved to find out that it had been a slow day at the office; the agent on duty said he would give Cabe a call if anything in the system popped up. The moment Cabe ended his call, he locked his car and headed inside the garage where Ralph was at his mother's computer. Toby was standing midway up the ramp of the garage, getting ready to do one of his unorthodox pastimes. He was putting on a helmet and situating himself on top of a scooter. Cabe rolled his eyes and walked further into the garage to find Happy tinkering with one of her latest inventions at her desk. Sylvester was being Toby's referee.

Seeing as Toby and Sylvester were currently occupied, Cabe made his way over to Happy's desk. "So, where're the Mr. and Mrs.?"

"Who knows?" Happy shrugged. "The place was empty when I returned. Though, I could have sworn I heard giggling coming from the roof on my way in."

"Thanks." Cabe said as he headed for the stairs and made his way to the roof. He mentally prepared himself for the worst as he slowly pushed open the door to the roof. He found an empty deflated mattress sitting on the ground and was grateful for the lack of inhabitants. Then he heard bouts of giggles and a series of guttural moans coming from around the corner. While he had prepared himself to see Walter and Paige doing the nasty, he was grateful that when he turned the corner, all they were both decently clothed despite their compromising position. He thought about looking away and respecting their privacy, but he decided to stand and watch them in order to teach the young lovers a lesson.

He was surprised that they didn't hear him walk onto the roof, but he figured they were too preoccupied with what they were doing to care about their surroundings – which is another reason Cabe needed to teach them a hard lesson.

For a few minutes, he stood there, wondering when the hell one of them was going to catch him watching him and had enough when he saw Walter's palm creep up Paige's white spaghetti-strap tank top. He cleared his throat once and folded his arms in front of him as the two lovebirds finally caught him staring at them. He raised an eyebrow as Walter and Paige froze with fear; they were probably wondering how long he had been watching them claw at each other – it was certainly the strongest amount of emotionCabe had ever seen Walter possess, he hoped to God that it would be his last. As Walter slowly pulled his hands away from the lip of Paige's camisole, and she dropped down to the ground and picked up her blouse.

Finally, Walter spoke as he buttoned up the top half of his shirt. "H-how long have, um, have you been standing there?"

"Long enough." Cabe frowned as he lifted his eyebrow. "And be glad I came here when I did; had this gone on any longer, the two of you'd have a lot more to worry about than what _I _had just witnessed. You're lucky Ralph didn't come up here instead." Paige was ridden with guilt, but Walter, as usual, showed no sign of emotion. "Seriously? What the hell were you two thinkin'?"

"We, uh, we had originally came up here to clean up from last night," Walter pointed towards the deflated bed.

"And let me guess," Cabe tapped his foot, "your libidos kicked in and got the best of you." As Cabe pushed his hair back, Paige's face blushed a deep pink. Walter just stood next to her with a hardened jaw. "Look, I get it; the two of you are crazy for each other. You hardly have time alone living with four other people, and so when you _do _have some alone time, you tend to make the most of it. Been there. Done that. But have some dignity and keep all of the activity in the bedroom where it belongs."

"Oh, come on, Cabe," Paige finally spoke, "Walter and I were just having a little fun; it wasn't like we were going to… you know… out in the open like this." Her cheeks were still red from embarrassment.

"Could have fooled me," Cabe mumbled. "The two of you have been actin' like a bunch of horny teenagers lately, and at this rate, I'm worried your sexual relationship is going to affect your jobs as professionals. We can't have our clients catching the two of you being anything_ but_ platonic. And with Collins running amuck, the two of you _must _keep your guard up at all times. Now I suggest the two of you clean up, take care of whatever leftover sexual tension you might have _in your bedroom_, and then come downstairs and spend some time with Ralph. I shouldn't have to tell the two of you what to do, but it's my responsibility to make sure this team keeps its head on its shoulders." Cabe turned the corner and then returned to add, "You can count your lucky stars that you were only caught by me this time around; next time, you might not be so lucky."

Cabe left a speechless Walter and an embarrassed Paige on the roof and headed back down to the lower level to see what everyone else was up to. Even though he was peeved to have caught Walter and Paige in a compromising position while Mark Collins was still in the wind, he couldn't be mad at them. He, too, was once young and in love. He just wish the two of them would have some damn common sense every once in a while.

When he arrived downstairs, Toby walked up to him and chuckled, "Something tells me Mr. 197 and the Translator are the reason why you're in a grumpy mood." Cabe frowned at Toby and tried to ignore him as he made his way to the kitchen. Toby followed, though. "Look," Toby said, "For what it's worth, no one on this team thinks Walt and Paige's relationship is a problem. In fact, you should know that Walter and Paige are completely professional outside of this garage."

"What are you, a psychic too?" Cabe raised an eyebrow as he finally looked at Toby.

"No. Just someone who knows where all of the secret cracks and holes are located within the garage," Toby shrugged. "Granted, it _was _probably a bit …much… for them to be canoodling in an unsecure location with Collins out and about, but you have to remember that Walter and Paige are smitten with each other; sometimes love makes you stupid. So give them some slack, or you might make them feel guilty for dating in the first place."

"Since when were you an expert on love, doc?" Cabe asked as he poured himself a cup of coffee."

"Since I watched the movie _Frozen_." Toby deadpanned. Cabe raised an eyebrow and placed his coffee mug on the counter. "Oh come on, you didn't think that was the least bit funny? Seriously?" Toby sighed. "Okay. Honestly?" He looked over towards Happy and then back at Cabe. "Since I became a jackass and decided to use my favorite defense mechanism to hide from some potentially intense feelings I might be feeling for a certain special lady."

Cabe patted Toby on the back. "There may be hope for you yet, doc." As Cabe picked up his coffee, he started walking towards Paige's desk to see if Ralph wanted to play a game of chess while he waited for Walter and Paige to return.

"Cabe," Toby called out to him as he followed the agent towards Ralph, "Have you even _seen _the movie _Frozen_?"

"Have you?" Cabe answered quickly as he turned to look at the shrink.

"It's apparently Paige's favorite movie – she forced us all to watch it once." Happy said as she walked up to both of them. "It was repulsive but hard to look away."

"I found the musical quality of the movie quite intriguing." Sylvester chimed in.

"You still haven't answered my question, Cabe." Toby frowned.

"Why does it matter if he's seen the movie or not?" Happy raised an eyebrow. "It's just a stupid movie."

"Because," Toby folded his arms in front of him, "I can't tell if he actually _understood _my joke and just decided not to laugh, or if he actually had no clue as to what I was talking about."

"No one ever laughs at your jokes so why are you worried?" Happy challenged.

"Some of his jokes are a little funny," Sylvester pushed his glasses up his nose. "Not all, but some."

"Thanks Sly. At least _somebody's _being honest." Toby threw his hands up and then focused on Cabe again. "So, have you seen the movie or not?"

"Son," Cabe patted Toby's shoulder. "Just…let it go."

**~ SCORPION ~**

After Cabe busted Walter and Paige on the roof, they did as Cabe ordered them to do and depleted whatever leftover sexual tension they still had within them before freshening up and changing into clean pairs of clothes. As they made themselves look presentable, they had realized, to some degree, that Cabe was right. While they knew that their romantic relationship wasn't a problem on the field, they _did _realize that they had been a bit "horny," as Cabe had described them, as of lately, but they assumed their heightened sexual activity was a symptom of their sexual withdrawal they had experienced in the last three weeks. They had a lot of missed days to make up for. The best solution for them to stay on par and not get handsy with one another was to force themselves into situations where they had no choice but to remain discreet. They also realized that when they were in the garage and when they didn't know if they were alone, they needed to be careful.

"Remember when I made a point that we should tell Ralph about our…sexual endeavors yesterday?" Walter asked as he looped his tie around his neck.

"Mhmm." Paige nodded while she pulled her hair back into a ponytail.

"After Cabe had caught us…doing _suggestive _things on the roof, I came to the conclusion that it's best _not _to tell him anytime soon." Walter replied.

"Oh? And what made you change your mind?" Paige implored as she walked up to him and wrapped her arms around his middle.

"Well," Walter gulped, "Cabe is like a father to me, and, um, when he had implied that he was once 'young and in love,' I had some disturbing images pop into my mind – images I don't think I'll ever be able to get rid of now."

Paige laughed at his response. "So," Paige hooked her arms around his neck as he turned around to face her, "since you're a father-figure in Ralph's life, you were able to link the common situations together."

Walter nodded. "I figured that if a few implied words could scar my mind with disturbing thoughts, then telling Ralph would have the same effect. And I realized, um, that you were right; it would be irresponsible to scar Ralph's mind at such a young age – especially since he has a perfect memory like Sylvester and me."

"I didn't hear that first part," Paige smiled. "I was what?"

"You heard me." Walter answered quickly as Paige give him a quick kiss on the lips.

"I know. I just don't hear you say that enough." Paige laughed as she pulled him in for another kiss. "Anyway, thank you for finally seeing things my way – though, I wish the circumstances were different, but I guess whatever works, works." She kissed him one more time and then pulled away from him. She grabbed his hand and made her way to the door with him in tow. "We should get going downstairs if we don't want Cabe to catch us again and bark at us like he did on the roof."

"Okay." Walter nodded and followed Paige out of the bedroom and down the stairs.

When they got to the foot of the stairs, Cabe casually walked over to them. "Look; sorry for somewhat snapping up on the roof earlier. Don't take what I said the wrong way; just," he scratched his head, "be a little more diligent. That's all."

"Thanks," Paige replied, accepting Cabe's apology.

Walter went straight to business. "Any cases?"

"None yet." Cabe replied, acting as though the last half hour didn't even happen. "But when there is one, I'll be the first to know." He tapped on his pocket where his phone was located.

"Okay." Walter nodded. Paige released his hand and made her way over to Ralph, while Walter stayed behind to talk to Cabe. "Did Ralph have fun last night?"

"Did _you_?" Cabe raised an eyebrow and smirked.

"Don't turn this around on me," Walter balked. "That's not what I asked."

"Then why don't you go and ask the boy yourself. He ain't chopped liver, you know." Cabe rolled his eyes and patted Walter on the back. "But, as an answer to your question, yes. He did. And from what I saw earlier on the roof, I assume you and Paige had a _lovely _night last night."

"Paige and I are going to take Ralph out to lunch." Walter said as he ignored Cabe's comment on his relationship. "Unless there's a case, we'll be back in a few hours. Going to visit Megan afterwards."

"Sounds good. Just be careful; Collins is still out there." Cabe muttered softly as they both looked at a happy Paige and Ralph. "Oh, and have you put any thought to what I had said yesterday?"

Walter shook his head. "Haven't had time."

Cabe smirked, taking the hint. "I'm sure you haven't kid. I'm sure you haven't."

**~ SCORPION ~**

* * *

**WriterFreak001: **

I've decided that chapters will be around this length from now on in order to spread out the story more. Next chapter will focus on the lunch outing between Walter, Paige and Ralph. It'll also have a Collins section. :)

BTW, I just created my first WAIGE fan-video. If you want to check it out, you can either find it on my Tumblr (a-beautiful-mind-wf001) or on my YT channel: DreamWriter001. It shouldn't be too hard to find on YT because it is the most recent video. :)

I thought it was important for WAIGE to get a reality check because I have noticed I've been making them pretty horny lately. LOL Sooooo kudos to Cabe for stepping in. By the way, that mention of _Frozen_ was not planned, it just happened and was beautiful. :)

Anyway, let me know what you think about this chapter.


	7. Chapter 7

**WriterFreak001: **

I think this will be the last chapter I post until AFTER I finish _Love Boat_. I have a strong premise for this story so I won't be abandoning it or forgetting about what I want to write. That being said, it may be a week or so before you see another update. :)

Also, I'd like to give a few shout-outs to some amazing WAIGE FFN out there:

_**Subsystem Analysis **_**by Arielle1406**

_**Weaknesses **_**by Zeburilla**

_**A Cyclone of Geniuses – The Story of Scorpion **_**by OlicityLove**

_**Touches **_**by Ema Marcel**

and

_**The Beautiful Disaster **_**by futurewriter33**

If you haven't already, check those FFNs out! They're amazing! :)

* * *

**Title** | Mind Games

**Fandom** | _Scorpion_ (CBS)

**Description** | Post-Deception. Four months passed since the ending of "Deception," and it seemed as though life, for the most part, returned to normal for Team Scorpion. Walter and Paige were given a chance to focus on their relationship in the midst of all of the cases that were assigned to the team. However, eventually, all great things must end, and once again, Team Scorpion will have to deal with an even bigger opponent than the Leviathan Mafia. Mark Collins is back for revenge and will have something big in store for Walter – something even the 197 IQ genius might not be able to see coming. And Collins's return just might cause a rift within the Scorpion family in the process, making it next to impossible for them to beat his ultimate game.

**Rating**| This fanfiction will be rated T for violence, obscene language, sexual themes as well as brain stuff and fluff.

**POV** | Limited Third Person

**Disclaimer** | While CBS owns _**Scorpion**_, I am the owner of this masterpiece.

**Claimer** | I am human; there are bound to be mistakes. If you feel like something _should_ be changed, you have the power to send me a review/private message. I can't guarantee if I'll change it every time, but I do read all of my reviews and all of my private messages!

* * *

**Mind Games**

**Sequel to**_** Deception**_

**Written by WriterFreak001**

**Chapter 7**

**~ S****CORPION ~**

After Walter, Paige and Ralph ordered their food from the waitress, Walter inquired about Ralph's night with Cabe. The boy expressed excitement as he gave Walter and his mother every detail about his night.

"First we went to Griffith Observatory; Cabe still struggled to find more than two constellations. Like the last time, I was able to locate many of them – including the Black Eye Galaxy – the coordinates you gave me last night." Ralph smiled at Walter. "It was fascinating; I even managed to help Cabe find it too."

"Did you know," Walter paused to take a sip from his water, "That the Black Eye Galaxy is 19 million light years away from Earth; it is the 80th furthest Messier catalog object from our planet. Its size is 9.3 x 5.4 arc minutes."

"That's cool." Ralph grinned.

"It was also discovered in 1779 by an astronomer named Edward Pigott. Thanks to Hubble space technology, we're able to see high-definition photographs of galaxies as far away as the Black Eye Galaxy and even further." Walter grinned and reached over to ruffle the boy's hair. "And within that galaxy, there are billions of more stars which the telescopes Griffith Observatory bestows cannot pick up because of the atmosphere."

"And that's why the Hubble Telescope was invented. Astronomers needed a way to see space beyond the atmosphere in order to collect accurate, observable data." Ralph replied with enthusiasm. "Mom," Ralph turned to his mother, "You should come with me and Walter to the observatory sometime."

Paige laughed. "Perhaps in July like Walter promised several months ago."

"Oh, and Mom?" Ralph paused to sip from his Chocolate Milk.

"Hm?"

"Can Cabe and I go out to the observatory more often?"

Walter quickly did the math inside his head and was grateful that Paige approved of Ralph's query. Ralph spending more time with Cabe equated to more _privacy _for him and Paige, allowing them to be less discreet in bed. "If you want," Walter smirked as he devised a plan, "and if Cabe's willing, I could give you a new location every Friday night, giving both you and Cabe an incentive to take a trip to the observatory. Would you like that?"

"Very much." Ralph nodded as their food was delivered to them.

As they all ate in silence, Walter couldn't help but feel pleased with Ralph's social progress. Being a part of Scorpion was proving to be more beneficial to the boy than Walter ever calculated. He remembered when he first met Ralph; the boy hardly spoke. Now, however, Ralph sometimes couldn't stop talking – especially when it was about something he was intellectually engaged in. The boy was definitely crawling out of his shell, and Walter hoped that being with Scorpion would help the boy eventually connect with normals like his mother's capable of doing. It might be too late for Walter and the rest of his intellectual friends to socially engage with normals, but if Ralph continues with the progress he's been making, he'll not only be able to converse with like geniuses, but he'll also be able to consult with normals on a more human level. Ralph was connecting…, and that was all he – and Paige – could ever hope for in the boy.

**~ SCORPION ~**

After lunch, the threesome visited Megan in the hospital. Walter warned Megan about Mark Collins even though he knew she'd be safe in the hospital. It was better to be safe than sorry. While Walter and Paige spoke with Megan, Ralph pulled out his Nintendo 3DS and played the newest game Walter had given him. Like the times Walter was invested into something, he knew the game would enable the boy to tune the rest of the world out without endangering him of going down the Rabbit Hole. And even if the boy _did _get too engaged into his game, Walter or Paige would be able to bring him back to reality by taking away the game console. In any case, Ralph was at no risk of going down the Rabbit Hole by playing a mere game on his Nintendo.

"So…," Megan smiled as she stretched her arms, "How's my favorite brother doing?"

"I'm your only brother." Walter stated quickly.

"Exactly." Megan laughed and then looked at Paige. "But seriously, how is Mr. Brainiac doing these days?"

"It's only been a week since my last visit." Walter raised an eyebrow before Paige could answer.

"Your point?" Megan mirrored Walter's expression.

Before Walter could retort, Paige cut in and took Megan's hands in hers. "Walter's doing perfectly fine."

"Perfect as in under-the-sheets perfect?" Megan smirked, causing Paige to blush. Walter, on the other hand, scratched his head and then rose to his feet, claiming he needed to get some coffee. Paige encouraged Ralph to go with Walter, and once the two were out of earshot, Megan laughed, "Sorry…. I couldn't resist."

"I don't mind," Paige smiled. "I'm sure Walter just doesn't want to discuss his romantic life with his sister."

"Yeah…. That _would _get a little awkward." Megan chuckled and then added, "But seriously, I'm glad the two of you are happy. I'm also glad Walter's finally found a woman who's capable of tolerating his…personality."

"It's certainly an acquired skill." Paige grinned and squeezed Megan's hands. "But he's definitely getting better at being more human."

"I've noticed." Megan smirked. "I think Walter's had it in him his entire life; his humanity just needed the right kind of nudge for him to convey it more. Ever since he hacked into NASA, he's been wanting to use his intellect as a way to help people – that's more human than anything else about him. But when the incident in the Middle East happened – when they used Walter's software, I think Walter lost a little bit of his own humanity because he believed, for the longest time, that the deaths of those civilians were his fault. Taking Ralph under his wing, I think, has reminded him what it was like to help people; he told me about the LAX case shortly after he hired you onto the team."

"Oh yeah? What did he say?" Paige inquired with a smile as she remembered the first time she met Walter.

"He noticed Ralph's determination to save those lives when he gave you your car keys; although Walter didn't add anything else, I think he saw himself in your son – and realized that it wasn't too late to continue helping people. In a way, Ralph – and you – have been Walter's saving grace. I know you probably hear this a lot, but you and Ralph are the best things that have happened to Walter in a very long time – maybe within his entire life." Megan grinned and then looked up. "Well speak of the devil."

As Walter handed Paige a coffee, he and Ralph sat back down in their seats. Ralph returned to his Nintendo 3DS, and Walter quietly sipped his own beverage. As Megan and Paige continued on with their conversation, Walter's phone rang. It was Cabe. He stepped aside from the table and answered it. After a brief conversation with the agent, Walter ended the call and walked back over to the table where everyone was sitting.

"Is everything all right?" Paige asked, locking eyes with Walter.

"Cabe got a call; he needs us pronto." Walter explained as he picked up his coffee. Paige rose to her feet and bent down to pick up her purse.

"Does it have anything to do with Collins?" Paige inquired as she prompted Ralph to hop off his seat and get ready to go.

"No. It's a separate case." Walter reassured her and then turned to Megan. "Sorry we couldn't stay long."

"Don't worry about it," Megan said with a worried expression. "The world needs you a lot more than I do today. Your job is important, Walter. I'll be okay." She pushed herself out of her chair and grabbed her crutches. "We can catch up later."

"Okay," Walter nodded as Megan gave him a quick side hug. Walter led Ralph towards the hallway as Paige gave Megan a hug as well. Words were exchanged, and in minutes, the threesome was back in the car, heading towards the garage.

**~ SCORPION ~**

Mark Collins mumbled to himself as he scribbled a bunch of numbers onto a sticky note before sticking it to the wall along with the other notes. He jotted several more numbers down on other sticky notes and added them to his collection. He spent hours, repeating his process over and over again, making sure everything was complete. He _knew _what his so-called friends were up to. He _knew _they were pretending to ignore him and act like he's nothing but trash to them. But he knew better. Oh, he knew better. Even though Mark Collins knew that neither one of his old pals thought highly of them, he wasn't a fool. They could try to forget him. They could try to ignore his presence, but it won't last. Nothing ever lasts.

If that was the kind of game Scorpion wanted to play, it was time for Mark Collins to get serious about his next plan of action. And in order to do that, he needed to set up his base at a location that was closer to the garage. He needed a place where he could safely set up his equipment in order to listen to chatter coming from the garage.

He knew _exactly _where to relocate.

And once he was situated, no one would be able to see what was coming next.

One thing was for certain:

Paige Dineen was the key to Walter's undoing.

**~ SCORPION ~**

* * *

**WriterFreak001: **

Yes. I know this chapter was short and probably seemed rush so I'm sorry for that. Next chapter will be much better and more in detail. :)

Let me know what you think.


	8. Chapter 8

**WriterFreak001: **

I'm baaaaaaaaaack! :D

Sorry for the mini hiatus! ^_^;

This chapter will most likely be a short one mainly because I want you guys to know that I am continuing this story now! :) Soooo after this short chapter, the following chapters will be longer. Think of this chapter as a…homecoming chapter. :D

So… Happy Homecoming! LOL

* * *

**Title** | Mind Games

**Fandom** | _Scorpion_ (CBS)

**Description** | Post-Deception. Four months passed since the ending of "Deception," and it seemed as though life, for the most part, returned to normal for Team Scorpion. Walter and Paige were given a chance to focus on their relationship in the midst of all of the cases that were assigned to the team. However, eventually, all great things must end, and once again, Team Scorpion will have to deal with an even bigger opponent than the Leviathan Mafia. Mark Collins is back for revenge and will have something big in store for Walter – something even the 197 IQ genius might not be able to see coming. And Collins's return just might cause a rift within the Scorpion family in the process, making it next to impossible for them to beat his ultimate game.

**Rating**| This fanfiction will be rated T for violence, obscene language, sexual themes as well as brain stuff and fluff.

**POV** | Limited Third Person

**Disclaimer** | While CBS owns _**Scorpion**_, I am the owner of this masterpiece.

**Claimer** | I am human; there are bound to be mistakes. If you feel like something _should_ be changed, you have the power to send me a review/private message. I can't guarantee if I'll change it every time, but I do read all of my reviews and all of my private messages!

* * *

**Mind Games**

**Sequel to**_** Deception**_

**Written by WriterFreak001**

**Chapter 8**

**~ S****CORPION ~**

Three days had passed since the team started ignoring Mark Collins, and so far, Collins had been radio silent; there had been nothing out of the ordinary, but they weren't going to give up their plan. Both Walter and Toby had a feeling that Mark Collins was concocting a plan, and for that reason, Scorpion had to be ready for him for whatever he might do.

"Since we don't know what that crazy son of a bitch is up to," Cabe said as he called everyone to the center of the garage, "there's going to be a few new rules around here until Mark Collins is apprehended."

"Rules like what?" Walter inquired while he folded his arms across his chest and watched Paige kneel down to her son and wrap her arms around him in a protective manner. Toby mimicked Walter's stance as Happy placed one hand against the table and slightly leaned over it. Sylvester stood directly behind Happy; his fingers were shaking as they all awaited Cabe's response.

"First of all, I don't care if you think you're a ninja, or if you think you're invincible; no one, I _repeat_, _no one _is to leave the garage without a buddy. Mark Collins is one senile SOB; if he's willing to risk everything in order to visit Ralph's elementary school, then he might be willing to do whatever's necessary to get what he wants – including kidnapping or murder."

"Of _course _he's capable of murder!" Toby exclaimed as he took off his hat and placed it on the table. "He was willing to jeopardize millions of lives for the sake of working with Walter again; I won't put Collins past _anything_."

"Exactly," Cabe nodded and shoved his hands into his pockets. "Rule number two: do not leave this garage without informing the rest of the team where you're going. Rule number three: if Collins gets in contact with either one of you," Cabe looked specifically at Walter, "I want to know about it. No secrets. We can't afford to keep things in the dark; not with a sensitive case like this. We _will _be continuing to ignore Mark Collins at all cost with hopes that the bastard comes to us instead of making _us _go to him. That being said, we'll still resume our lives as normally as possible with the exception of Ralph going to school. An agent will be here to watch Ralph while we're gone, and he will be reporting to me and to Paige every hour. Capish?"

"One question," Toby raised an eyebrow, giving Cabe the shrink eye, "When you said we're not allowed to go _anywhere _without a buddy, does that include public restrooms?" Everyone gave him dirty looks. "What?! It's a valid question!"

"Why don't you use that genius mind of yours and figure it out yourself." Happy rolled her eyes and shook her head in disdain. "Another thing," Happy looked at the group as she walked to her desk, picked up a trey and brought it over to them. "As a safety precaution, I've surrounded the garage with acoustic wedges panels to aid in muffling any sound coming from the garage in case Collins is listening to us. I've also installed a frequency transmitter as a failsafe; basically, the human voice various between 300 Hertz to 3400 Hertz; if Collins is listening for _any _sounds within that range from the garage, the frequency transmitter works somewhat like a voice changer – the transmitter will synthesize anything within 300 and 3400 Hertz into high-pitch frequencies, making it impossible for Collins to eavesdrop on our conversations; that being said, anything we say in the garage will not be compromised. Now that I've explained _that_, I want you to introduce you to your new com devices. Due to the unique circumstances, I've embedded trackers into each piece so don't you dare lose them; they're prototypes. In the event that Collins apprehends one of us, he'll be smart enough to destroy our phones. The com device is a failsafe; it'll enable us to track you down if need be without alerting Collins. So, wherever you go, whether if it's on a case or just to the supermarket, wear it in your ear at all times. Collins is unpredictable; therefore, we need to be on guard 24/7."

Everyone took a com device from the trey and held them in their hands. Since there were no current cases at the moment, they didn't need to wear them right away. All of them placed their com devices on their respective desks and then returned to the center of the room.

"In the meantime, stay close. You never know when Director Merrick will call." Cabe said, dismissing everyone. As Toby, Sylvester and Happy headed back to their desks, Paige followed Ralph to the loft where he wanted to show her something he had been working on for the past few days. Walter sauntered over to his desk to check something on his computer when Cabe made his way over to him. "So," Cabe stopped in front of Walter's desk and planted his feet firm on the ground, "Have you decided whether or not you want a sidearm?"

"I haven't put much thought into it." Walter shrugged. "I would like to discuss the matter with Paige first."

"With as much time as the two of you spend together, I'm surprised you haven't said anything to her about it." Cabe lifted his eyebrows as a smirk fell on his lips. "Then again, I'm sure you two were occupied with much _more _engaging matters."

"I'll talk to her soon, Cabe. I promise." Walter said as he logged onto his computer. He hacked into a few different databases to see if there was any update on Mark Collins's whereabouts, but when he couldn't find anything, he logged off of his computer and rose to his feet. "In fact, if you're so anxious for an answer, I'll go and ask her now while I'm thinking of it."

"You do that." Cabe chuckled as his phone rang. He stepped away from Walter's desk and answered his phone. "Gallo." As Walter started ascending the stairs, Cabe called out to him. "You might want to hold off on that, Walter; Collins may have just made his next move."

**~ SCORPION ~**

While Happy stayed behind to keep an eye on Ralph, Walter and the rest of the team were summoned to a private home where a middle aged woman was lying in a pool of blood just beyond the foyer of her house. There was an encrypted message scribbled on her wall in a sharpie marker – a message for Walter's intellect only.

"Do you think it's a good idea for you to be looking at that, Walt?" Toby asked as he stood next to the genius and stared at the code. "What if Collins _wants _you to read it so you can take a trip down the Rabbit Hole again?"

"No…," Walter's voice faded. "This message is too simple; he _wants _me to decipher it quickly." Walter scanned the room for a pen and picked up a red sharpie marker before he started scrawling all over the code. Toby and Sylvester had to tear their eyes away before they lost themselves in the message. While Sylvester made his way back to the van with Toby since their expertise was no longer needed, Paige stayed behind and watched Walter busily work on the wall. Just as she was about to call out his name to make sure he hadn't lost himself, he stopped writing and took a step back from the wall.

"Walter? Are you okay?" Paige touched his shoulder gently.

Walter swallowed the lump in his throat before racing over to the dead woman's body to confirm his sickening suspicion. While the coroner tried to stop him from doing something reckless, he pushed the coroner out of the way and peeled back the white sheet covering her head. He immediately dropped it and felt sick to his stomach.

"Kid. What's wrong? It looks like you've seen a ghost." Cabe noted as Walter turned around to look at the message.

"Walter, what does 1589 mean?" Paige asked as she approached him. He ran his hands through his hair and groaned with frustration. "Walter?"

Cabe touched his shoulder. "Kid? What's going on with you?"

Walter felt enraged; Mark Collins upped his game – there was _no _backing out of the lunatic's mind games now. Not after what he had done. Before Walter would regret anything, he walked up to the wall and rammed his fist against the plaster to deplete the angry feelings he had inside of him. Paige gasped and was immediately at his side.

"Walter," Paige touched his arm, bringing him back to reality. "Why are you so mad?"

Walter inhaled a deep breath and looked at the decrypted message again. "One thousand five hundred eighty-nine days ago, Mark and I were at a local diner discussing futuristic possibilities of Thermodynamics; it was the first time we connected. I asked him to join Scorpion that day."

"So?" Cabe raised an eyebrow. "What does that have to do with anything?"

Walter turned to face the man as Paige placed her palms over his battered knuckles. "The woman…, the one Collins killed…; she was the waitress who served us our food that day." Before Walter could say anything else, his cell phone started buzzing. He pulled it out of his pocket and looked at the Caller ID. No name. "It's Collins."

"Don't answer it." Cabe ordered.

"I have to. He's made his move, Cabe; and a woman is dead because of it." Walter frowned and then answered his phone, putting it on speaker. "Collins."

"_Hello, Walter." _Mark chuckled. _"I assume you received my message?" _

"You have my undivided attention," Walter felt like he wanted to punch something again, but Paige holding his hand helped him focus.

"_Let's cut to the chase, shall we? We're not in minor leagues anymore, Walter. One woman is dead. I've noticed you've been ignoring me, and that hurt. It hurt so much that I had to do something to get your attention. Oh, and I know your handler and your newest sex toy are listening to this conversation, Walter, and that's okay, because I have a message for the woman who stole my position." _

"Leave her out of this, Collins!" Walter spat. "What you have against me is personal."

"_Yes. It is. And trust me my friend, you and I __**will **__go the distance someday. Miss Paige Dineen replaced me, and that is far more personal than you sending me to the loony bin. She's stealing you away from me, Walter; all those precious times __**we **__could have been spending together talking about intellectual advancements for time travel or discussing a future where everything was empowered by photovoltaic panels were stolen by the woman standing next to you; while you could be reaching beyond your intellectual potential, you're too busy ramming yourself into her. Can't you see, Walter? She is nothing but a filthy skank! She's defiled you!" _

"I'm not going to say it again, Mark. Leave Paige out of this." Walter held his tongue before he said something he would regret. "And if I ever hear you talk about her like that again," the terms Collins used to describe Paige disgusted Walter, and he could tell Collins's statement had bothered Paige, "your stupid mind games will be the _least _of your worries."

"_Let me make myself clear, Walter O'Brien. The meltdown incident was child's play. I __**will **__get a spot back onto the team one way or another. I __**know **__Paige Dineen was the one who suggested for all of you to ignore me; I was heartbroken when I found out you didn't want __**anything **__to do with me. And then Happy had to ruin my plans by setting up those soundproof panels and that frequency transmitter. I was really looking forward to your plans on how to rid me once and for wall. So I upped my game a little, and while the cute encryption code was a puzzle for you, Walter, the body, on the other hand, is a message for your filthy skank." _

Paige inhaled a deep breath and let it out slowly but didn't say anything.

"What are you talking about?" Walter inquired as Paige tightened her grip on his hand.

"_That poor woman's death is on __**her **__hands. Had she not opened her flappy mouth and suggested for all of you to ignore me, that woman would be still alive. Face it, Walter, your so-called girlfriend is a __**murderer**__. She might not have been the one who pulled the trigger, but she __**is **__the reason a woman is dead today. Just how many more people have to die, Walter? How many more people are you going to let Paige Dineen kill with her absurd, unintelligent ideas? She doesn't deserve to be on Scorpion. She deserves to work at a whorehouse because that's what she is, Walter O'Brien. A whore. That's all she ever was, wasn't she? That's all she'll ever be to you." _

"This conversation is over." Cabe snatched Walter's phone and ended the call. "Walter," Cabe frowned, "Don't let that bastard get under your skin. You know damn well Collins'll say anything to rile you up. Don't listen to him."

"Don't worry; I've learned from my past mistake. Trusting Collins will never happen again." Walter spat as he took back his phone.

"Good." Cabe nodded. "I've gotta go and interrogate the neighbors to see if they saw anything; go back to the garage with Toby and Sylvester ASAP."

"Okay." Walter said as Cabe disappeared. When Walter turned to Paige, she was on the verge of tears; he hated himself for prolonging that conversation – he should have ended it before it even started. "Hey, Paige," he called her name as he gently shook her. "What Collins said isn't true. None of it is."

"H-he's right, Walter," Paige let out a gasp, "that woman's dead because of me."

"No. That woman is dead because Collins killed her." Walter tried to comfort her. "Don't believe in anything Mark says. He's nothing but a vat of lies and deceit. _You _are a great asset to Scorpion, and you have the most important role on the team, Paige. You are none of what he says, okay?"

Paige inhaled a deep breath and released it slowly. "O-okay."

Walter started walking towards the front door and gently pulled Paige with him. "Mark Collins will get what he deserves. I promise."

Paige blinked back her tears and smiled. "I know. I trust you Walter. I shouldn't have let him get to me like that."

"Sometimes it's hard _not _to listen to Collins; he knows exactly which buttons to press, and he _will _exploit your doubts if you are not careful." Walter explained as Paige wrapped her arms against him.

"Walter?" Paige's voice wavered as she spoke his name. They headed for the van.

"Hm?"

"Are you scared? About what Mark Collins could do now that he's free?" Paige squeezed his hand even tighter.

"To be honest," Walter found Paige's eyes. "Yes. His freedom worries me immensely."

"Me too."

_**~ SCORPION ~**_

* * *

**WriterFreak001: **

DUN DUN DUNNNN!

Let me know what you think! :D

Please review! :)


	9. Chapter 9

**WriterFreak001: **

I'm glad people enjoyed the latest chapter. :)

* * *

**Title** | Mind Games

**Fandom** | _Scorpion_ (CBS)

**Description** | Post-Deception. Four months passed since the ending of "Deception," and it seemed as though life, for the most part, returned to normal for Team Scorpion. Walter and Paige were given a chance to focus on their relationship in the midst of all of the cases that were assigned to the team. However, eventually, all great things must end, and once again, Team Scorpion will have to deal with an even bigger opponent than the Leviathan Mafia. Mark Collins is back for revenge and will have something big in store for Walter – something even the 197 IQ genius might not be able to see coming. And Collins's return just might cause a rift within the Scorpion family in the process, making it next to impossible for them to beat his ultimate game.

**Rating**| This fanfiction will be rated T for violence, obscene language, sexual themes as well as brain stuff and fluff.

**POV** | Limited Third Person

**Disclaimer** | While CBS owns _**Scorpion**_, I am the owner of this masterpiece.

**Claimer** | I am human; there are bound to be mistakes. If you feel like something _should_ be changed, you have the power to send me a review/private message. I can't guarantee if I'll change it every time, but I do read all of my reviews and all of my private messages!

* * *

**Mind Games**

**Sequel to**_** Deception**_

**Written by WriterFreak001**

**Chapter 9**

**~ S****CORPION ~**

When the team returned to the garage, they decided to take a short break from the Collins case, refuel their minds and then reconvene in a half hour. While Toby left to play his X-Box and Sylvester made his way to his chalkboard, Cabe stepped off to the side and made a phone call. Walter let Paige lead him towards her son who was in the back of the garage with Happy, working on a project.

To distract Paige from anything Collins-related, he called out to Ralph who immediately turned towards him with a big smile on his face. The boy's smile, in turn, made Paige smile. Good. Paige needed all the distraction she could get; the car ride home was quiet – too quiet. While Paige kept telling him she was fine, he had been with her long enough to know when she _wasn't _fine. And she was _definitely _not fine. Not one bit.

Ralph took off his safety goggles and ran towards his mother and Walter. "Whatch'ya doing there, buddy?" Walter inquired as the boy gave his mother a hug. He reached over and ruffled the boy's hair, waiting for him to answer his query.

"Happy and I have been constructing a workbench for me to use when I have school projects or when I'm bored." Ralph grinned. "It's going to be next to yours, Walter."

"Is that so?" A smile formed on Walter's lips as Ralph's eyes lit up. Paige bent down and wrapped her arms around her son. She kissed his forehead and brushed a few strands of his shaggy hair out of his face.

"Is it finished yet?" Paige asked, jumping into the conversation. Walter could tell she was faking her smile for her son, but he decided not to point it out and let her do whatever she needed to do in order to keep her mind off of Collins.

"Not yet," Ralph shook his head. "But almost." He turned towards the in-progress workbench where Happy was standing with her arms folded in front of her chest with a wrench in her hand. Ralph whipped his eyes back to his mother's. "Wanna see?"

"Of course," Paige kissed Ralph's forehead again and rose to her feet. The boy immediately grabbed her hand and Walter's, pulling them towards the unfinished workbench. "The structure is complete, but we still need to sand the surface and then stain it with a finish."

"I offered to lend Ralph one of my old workbenches in the back," Happy pointed behind her, "until a nice one could be purchased for him from Home Depot or Office Max, but he wanted to build one. Said his mom," she smirked at Paige, "taught him to work for the things he wanted in life."

Paige's forced smile transformed into a genuine one as she gave her son a hug. "That's right. I did say that; I _also _told you," she poked his nose, "that if you work for something, you'll cherish it more when you finally get it."

"So," Happy continued as Paige gave Ralph another hug, "I found some abandoned wood in the back and decided Ralph could use it to construct his first workbench. He designed it, and I helped with the measurements as well as lent him the tools to build it. He did most of the work; I merely used the power drill when needed."

"Sometime after dinner," Ralph looked at Walter, "do you want to help me sand it?"

"Wouldn't miss it," Walter bent down and ruffled the boy's hair.

"In the meantime," Paige kissed the top of Ralph's head, "we picked up your missed schoolwork on the way back from the garage." She slid her shoulder bag off of her arm and pulled out various folders and papers. "Why don't you go and work on these in your room? I think you're teacher mentioned something about computer homework too."

"Okay," Ralph nodded and took the packets from his mother before retreating for the stairs. Then he turned around. "Mom?"

"Yeah?" Paige's eyes found her son's as she turned to look at him. "What is it, Ralph?"

"After Walter and I sand my workbench, would you help me stain it?"

Paige released a soft gasp and then she gave her son a genuine smile as a single tear fell from her left eye. She quickly wiped it away. "I'd like that."

"Cool! Thanks!" Ralph beamed and then ran off up the stairs. When Paige turned towards Walter, Happy headed for her desk to give them some privacy.

"He's never really asked me to help him before," Paige muttered and leaned against Walter's shoulder as she squeezed his hand.

"He knows you like art," Walter shrugged. "Staining wood is like painting canvas. Perhaps he recognized the completion of this project as a way to connect with you."

"Well, whatever his reasoning is," Paige closed her eyes, "I'm proud of him in so many ways. He's connecting, and," she released Walter's hand and wrapped her arms around his torso, "Sometimes, I wonder what life would be like if we didn't meet you and the rest of the team that day in the diner."

"I never dwell on what-ifs related to past scenarios," Walter said as his fingers combed through Paige's hair. "They aren't facts, nor are they theories or predictions. They're simply statements that propose premises that cannot be proven without the groundbreaking discovery of time travel – something scientists haven't conquered yet. The fact is," He found Paige's weary eyes, "you and Ralph _were _at the diner when we commandeered it for the LAX national emergency. And you were offered a job because of your outstanding performance, giving your son a chance to spend time with people who understand his intelligence. There are no what-ifs about any of it. So there's no point," he chuckled, "considering things that can never be explored; it's a waste of time and adds unnecessary stress to your life."

Before Paige could respond, Cabe called everyone to the center of the garage to discuss Mark Collins. "For those of you who don't know," Cabe started once everyone gathered together, "Mark Collins kicked things up a notch and killed a civilian today; he's not playing games anymore. He's willing to do _whatever _it takes to get what he wants – even if that means killing more people along the way. The woman he murdered was someone he and Walter encountered once several years ago; I expect he'll keep choosing people Walter's met before unless we stop him. Until Mark Collins is apprehended, Merrick has frozen all other cases for Scorpion. Mark Collins is your _only _priority as of today so if _any _of you know anything that could help us find him and put his ass back in jail, I suggest you start talking." Cabe looked at Happy, "I want you to hack into the satellite cameras and see if Collins has been looming around the garage within the last three days; if you spot him, see if you can trail his shadow back to his hiding spot."

"On it!" Happy nodded and raced to her computer.

"Toby," Cabe pointed towards the shrink, "Put together a file of everything you can think of regarding Collins's behavior. If you think he's capable of terrorism in order to get what he wants, include it in your report. I don't want _anything _excluded from your analysis. Got it?"

"This is going to be fun!" Toby smirked and scurried off towards his desk.

"Sylvester," Cabe then looked at the Human Calculator, "look into Collins's phone records and personal file; see if you can find any family members or acquaintances he's been in contact with within the last six months."

"Happily," Sylvester nodded and rushed away to his computer.

"Walter," Cabe approached him and Paige, "I want you to make a list of potential victims Collins might approach; if he's going after people the two of you have encountered during your crazy-ass time together, then you better take a trip down Memory Lane and jot down anything you remember. Even if you don't have names, describe them; if they worked at a library or a diner the two of you visited, their names would be available via employment records."

"I'll do my best," Walter sighed as he ran a hand through his hair, "But I can't guarantee perfect results; when Collins and I met up at a diner or at various locations, I was often too engaged in our conversations to pay attention to my surroundings."

"I thought you had a perfect memory." Cabe frowned as he folded his arms against his chest.

"I do," Walter mimicked Cabe's stance.

"Then I don't understand why you might have difficulty remembering your surroundings." Cabe lifted an eyebrow. Walter felt Paige's arm snake across his back.

"Mark Collins," Toby intervened as he circled around his desk and headed towards Cabe, "had a way of making Walter experience a stronger flow state than usual. You know how Walter, or practically _any _of us, are so focused on our projects that we don't always know what's going on around us? Well, that's what's called a flow state. It's when our minds are so focused – so energetic and highly involved – with our tasks that we have a tendency to zone in on things we find intellectually enjoyable. Collins had a strange effect on Walter's psyche; we all know how that bastard sent Walter down the Rabbit Hole one too many times.

"While there's the Rabbit Hole, there's also a pre-Rabbit Hole state, a flow state, in which we can be snapped out of before we get too engaged. With the level of intensity shared between Walter and Mark's conversations, Mark had an astounding ability of sending Walter into an intellectual flow state as they conversed. They could go all night in this flow state, talking about anything…everything. Usually, Walter was able to pull himself out of this flow state whenever he wanted, but as he was experiencing it, the world – in a sense – moved on without him.

"In these flow states, we are aware of our surroundings to a degree: place, topic of interest, intellectual peers…, but we don't recognize events going on around us. A little kid could be celebrating his birthday with his family at a diner, and we could be totally oblivious to it. The Rabbit Hole, however, is an extreme case of a flow state. The world doesn't just move on without us; it also disappears. Mark Collins knows his mind games; he certainly loved toying with Walter's psyche."

Walter didn't like the fact that Toby was talking about him in front of everyone else, but he knew it was efficient for Cabe to understand the seriousness of the situation.

"Sometimes," Happy continued, "Collins would introduce an intellectually intence topic to Walter _merely _to see how far Walter would travel down the Rabbit Hole. If anything, Walter was Mark's guinea pig; him going to that psych ward, the first time, was the best thing for Scorpion."

"Well," Cabe sighed and gave Walter a look of sympathy, "Do what you can, I guess."

"Okay," Walter nodded as he started tugging Paige towards his desk, but Cabe called her name. Both of them turned to face the agent.

"Yes?" Paige's eyebrows lifted as she gave Walter's hand a gentle squeeze.

"Go upstairs and spend time with Ralph. Keep him occupied so that he doesn't wonder what we're doing down here. The less he's involved, the better." Cabe ordered Paige as his facial expression softened. "Also, I think it might be best if you don't work this case. Collins clearly ruffled your feathers earlier today, and I have a feeling you're his new guinea pig," Cabe frowned. "You and Ralph are inconveniences in Mark's eyes; he's going to do whatever he can to earn his spot back on the team. While you will be informed of everything regarding this case, I think it's wise you stay home with Ralph if we are called out again."

Paige inhaled a deep breath and forced a smile. "Okay." Walter knew Paige's top priority was Ralph, and even if she didn't like not being part of the team on their cases, he knew she would much rather want to keep her son safe than attend a case where she wouldn't know how Ralph would be fairing. She turned to leave for the stairs, and as Walter followed, Cabe grabbed his arm.

"Where're you running off too?"

"I'll have your list by the end of the night; I promise." Walter's eyes followed Paige as she walked up the stairs, "There's something I need to discuss with Paige first."

"Okay," Cabe nodded and released his arm. "By the way, you better have a spare room available because as of today, I'm temporarily moving into the garage until Collins is dealt with; I don't want anything happening without my knowledge, and I can't very well shoot the bastard's other leg if I'm all the way across town. I'm having a guy deliver my things by tonight."

"Kay." Walter then realized that the only available room they had was between the room he and Paige shared and Ralph's bedroom. He inwardly grew disappointed, noting how he and Paige would have to take a hiatus from their romantic endeavors until Mark was apprehended. "I'll show you to the spare room tonight."

"Sounds good." Cabe patted Walter's shoulder before making his way towards Sylvester. Walter wheeled around on his heels and then headed for the stairs in pursuit of Paige.

**~ SCORPION ~**

"A gun?" Paige lifted an eyebrow. "Cabe wants you to register for a sidearm?"

"He thinks it would benefit the team if one of us is registered to use a gun. He thinks I'm the only one who would be suited to use one. He said, and I quote, 'Sylvester will shoot someone's eye out, Toby's not very good with his hands and Happy would get too trigger-happy.' Cabe can't be here twenty-four seven. And with Scorpion's reputation climbing, there's always going to be odd threats against us. We don't want a repeat of last year," he referred to when the mafia bypassed their security and kidnapped Paige, "so I think it would be a good idea for me to register because security systems can only go so far."

Paige inhaled a deep breath and let it out slowly, "Okay."

"Okay?" Walter was surprised; he thought he would have to find alternative ways to convince Paige to let him register. He didn't think she'd be onboard right away. "That's it?"

"Walter, I appreciate you wanting my opinion on the matter, but I know you," she smiled as she absentmindedly ruffled Ralph's hair as he slept in her arms. "You would most likely register for one with or without my consent – especially if you think a sidearm would increase your chances in protecting Ralph. So I'm not going to stop you from getting one; however, there are going to be conditions."

"I wouldn't expect anything less." Walter nodded as he sat down next to Paige and smiled at the boy.

"Also," she leaned against him, "I think it might be a good idea if I register for one too." Paige's statement caught Walter's attention; he turned to look at her, waiting for an explanation. "Like you said, we don't want a repeat of last year. Mark Collins isn't part of a mafia; he's a genius like you. He doesn't need an army of people to bypass the garage's security. So there's no telling if he'll try breaking and entering; for that reason, I want to be prepared too. If I'm going to be staying here and watching my son, I need to be sure I can protect him while all of you are gone."

"That's an…," Walter lowered his voice when the boy stirred in his mother's arms, "astute decision." Walter rose to his feet and picked Ralph up into his arms so Paige could stand up; he placed Ralph into his bed and covered him with a blanket. The work he had done on the workbench most likely wore him out.

"We can wake him up before dinner," Paige whispered as Walter made his way towards her. They walked, hand-in-hand, towards their bedroom and left the door open so they could keep an eye on Ralph. They laid on the bed and watched some TV for a while. Then Walter remembered Cabe temporarily moving into the room next to him.

"By the way," Walter spoke as he stared at the ceiling, "Cabe's going to be utilizing the guest room next to us until Collins is apprehended. So it might be a while before we can resume any sexual activity while he's quartering here."

Paige sighed as she coiled her fingers with his and hovered over him. "Perhaps you should use this time to find out if Happy has any extra acoustic wedges panels hidden somewhere."

Walter immediately rose to his feet, causing Paige to laugh. "Don't have to tell me twice." And before Paige could say anything, he was out the door and on his way to Happy as Paige returned to Ralph's room and watched her son peacefully nap the afternoon away.

**~ SCORPION ~**

* * *

**WriterFreak001: **

I've decided that the chapters will mostly remain about this length. Not only would it allow me to pace myself, but it would also prologue the chapter length of the story too. The fewer content there is per chapter, the longer the story will be. :D

Anyway, let me know what you think! :D


	10. Chapter 10

**WriterFreak001: **

I'm a little bummed that the last few chapters haven't had many reviews; reviews really keep me going, and they give me a sense as to how loved my stories are. Anyway, I can't wait until next Monday! I really hope we don't have to suffer through another hiatus again, but if it means they've gotta spread the episodes out so that the show doesn't end in March instead of May, then I'm all for one-week hiatuses. I just hope the breaks don't push people away from the show.

* * *

**Title** | Mind Games

**Fandom** | _Scorpion_ (CBS)

**Description** | Post-Deception. Four months passed since the ending of "Deception," and it seemed as though life, for the most part, returned to normal for Team Scorpion. Walter and Paige were given a chance to focus on their relationship in the midst of all of the cases that were assigned to the team. However, eventually, all great things must end, and once again, Team Scorpion will have to deal with an even bigger opponent than the Leviathan Mafia. Mark Collins is back for revenge and will have something big in store for Walter – something even the 197 IQ genius might not be able to see coming. And Collins's return just might cause a rift within the Scorpion family in the process, making it next to impossible for them to beat his ultimate game.

**Rating**| This fanfiction will be rated T for violence, obscene language, sexual themes as well as brain stuff and fluff.

**POV** | Limited Third Person

**Disclaimer** | While CBS owns _**Scorpion**_, I am the owner of this masterpiece.

**Claimer** | I am human; there are bound to be mistakes. If you feel like something _should_ be changed, you have the power to send me a review/private message. I can't guarantee if I'll change it every time, but I do read all of my reviews and all of my private messages!

* * *

**Mind Games**

**Sequel to**_** Deception**_

**Written by WriterFreak001**

**Chapter 10**

**~ S****CORPION ~**

After dinner, Walter compiled the list for Cabe and then met Ralph in the back to help him with the sanding. Walter explained the different kinds of power sanders to Ralph and showed him, on a sample piece of wood, how to use each of them. He also informed the boy on which power sanders were not suited for certain projects too. Once he was finished with the mini tutorial, Walter gave Ralph the appropriate power sander and guided the boy's hand as he sanded his workbench. As he and Ralph sanded the workbench together, Walter knew Paige was watching them work, and he didn't mind it one bit.

"That's it." Walter mumbled as Ralph held onto the power sander, "Nice and easy."

"Mom," Ralph called out to his mother without looking away from his task, "You wanna try?"

"I'd love to," Paige smiled as she walked over to the pair and ruffled her son's hair, "but I'm not very mechanically inclined. It might be best to watch from the sidelines."

"It's easy, Mom!" Ralph exclaimed over the noise. "Walter can show you how to do it!" Ralph turned off the machine and looked towards his mother. "Then, next time, you can help me." The boy turned towards Walter. "No offence, Walter."

"None taken," Walter smirked and petted Ralph's head.

Ralph circled around Walter and said to his mother, "Just stand in front of Walter, and he'll help you."

Paige caved. "Okay," she bent down and kissed her son's forehead before taking Ralph's place in front of Walter. Ralph backed up a few steps and watched his mother and Walter interact. As Paige placed her palm on the machine, Walter covered her hand with his as his other arm wrapped around her torso and pulled her closer to him. Paige lifted an eyebrow, "You didn't talk Ralph into letting me do this, did you?"

"Nope. That was all him." Walter bit his lip as he rested his chin against her shoulder and kissed her cheek.

"Tell me when it's time to stain!" Ralph exclaimed before darting off towards Proton Arnold. Walter and Paige blinked in response to the boy's sudden disappearance but recovered moments later when they realized Ralph had purposely set them up.

"What was that about?" Paige wondered out loud as she glanced towards her son. "That was a little weird."

"Not to me." Walter muttered into her ear, causing her to look at him with curious eyes. "Like me, Ralph has a hard time verbalizing his feelings. By asking you to work with me is Ralph's way of telling you he likes it when we work together."

"That's what normals call matchmaking," Happy chuckled as she walked by the couple to gather a few things she needed from the back. "Consider it a compliment that Ralph left the two of you alone; it means he approves of your relationship." Before Paige could say something to the woman, Happy left as quickly as she arrived, but her words made Paige smile.

"Now to use the power sander," Walter immediately started his tutorial, causing Paige to laugh in response to his sudden transition. "Is something funny?"

"No," she smiled and then gave him a quick kiss. "It's just…," she kissed him once more, "You're just you."

"And you think that's funny?" Walter inquired as he lifted an eyebrow. Sometimes, the things that woman said greatly confused him.

"No," she shook her head with a laugh. She took her hand off of the sander and hooked her arms around Walter's neck. "I'm not making fun of you Walter," she cupped his cheeks. "The way you are," she smiled, "is something I _never _want you to change; I wasn't laughing because I was making fun of you. I was laughing because," her thumbs caressed his cheeks, "everything you are…and how your brain works… brings me lots of joy and happiness. Am I making sense?" As Paige explained the logic behind her laugh, Walter was still trying to figure out how a woman like Paige managed to fall for a guy like him. He was beyond awkward, and he knew he was quite the dork when it came to romance and anything related to emotions. Granted, he had improved over the last several months, but he _still_ didn't understand how someone like Paige could find him remotely appealing. It didn't make sense; it _never _made sense, but whenever Paige brought him back to reality by pulling him into a heated kiss, he would force himself to forget about they analytical aspect of their relationship and focus on whatever was happening in front of him. "Walter?" She called his name again.

"Hm?" Walter shook himself out of his reverie.

"I asked you if I was making any sense to you." Paige raised an eyebrow but then she smirked. "Oh, that's right."

"What's right?"

"Pep talks don't have an effect on you," her smirk widened. He wondered what she had up her sleeve. Granted, when they first met, he was not a big fan on pep talks, and they literally _did _not have much of an effect on him. However, over the last several months, he had been getting better at receiving them and still maintaining interest. Still, he didn't say anything; he was merely curious as to what Paige was thinking. "Perhaps," her fingers weaved into his hair, "it might be better to _show _you what I was talking about."

Walter gulped as her warm breath brushed against his ear; she certainly knew just what to do to send shivers down his spine. "Okay."

As Paige pulled Walter in for a searing kiss, Happy cleared her throat and tapped her foot as she stared at them. "Aren't the two of you supposed to be helping Ralph with his workbench?"

"We were getting to that," Paige's cheeks burned a bright red as she and Walter jumped a part from one another.

"Uh-huh. Sure." Happy was unconvinced. "Anyway, I would ixnay the romance and work on Ralph's workbench; he might come over here and see if the two of you are done sanding yet. I might not be the parent here, but I'm pretty sure you two don't want Ralph walking in on the two of you doing anything other than helping him with his project."

As Happy left, Paige sighed and Walter pushed his hair back. Happy was right, and he remembered what Cabe had said the other day. "When you help Ralph with the staining," Walter said as they turned towards the power sander, "I'll install those panels."

"Good plan," Paige muttered as she placed her hand over the handle of the power sander again. Walter gave her simple instructions as he covered her hand with his own, telling her to simply guide the machine as it moved across the wood. Let the machine do the work and move at its own pace; otherwise, the end result would be unfavorable. For the next fifteen minutes, Walter and Paige worked diligently on the workbench, sanding every rough surface they could find, and when they were done, Paige called Ralph back over to the area as Walter disappeared up the stairs to install those panels.

**~ SCORPION ~**

By ten o'clock, everyone except for Walter, Paige and Cabe had retired for the night, including Ralph. The boy had fallen asleep against Walter's side as shortly after the 197 IQ genius read to him a volume of one of Sylvester's _Super Fun Guy _comics. Paige was leaning against his other shoulder with her fingers laced with his as they enjoyed a comfortable silence together on one of the couches up in the loft.

When Cabe made his way over to the other couch across from them, Paige gave Walter a quick kiss before rising to her feet. She picked Ralph up into her arms and told Walter she'd return as soon as Ralph was settled. As she and the boy headed for the hallway, Cabe sat down across from Walter. "She's something else, isn't she?"

"Mhmm…." Walter absentmindedly answered as he watched Paige walk away.

Cabe snapped his fingers and captured Walter's attention. "So…have you given much thought to my proposal?"

"About the gun?"

"Yes."

Walter nodded. "Both Paige and I decided to register for guns; we think it would be more efficient if two members of Scorpion carried firearms for the sake of protecting Ralph from Mark Collins."

"That's not a bad idea," Cabe mused. "I'll take you and Paige to a facility tomorrow so we can get you two registered." Cabe leaned back into the sofa and rested his head against his clasped palms. "Because you're government contractors, you'll have to shoot a few rounds and test for accuracy."

"Shouldn't be too hard." Walter shrugged.

"Believe me; it's a lot harder than it sounds." Cabe chuckled as he crossed his legs. "But if positive thinking helps you prep yourself, then all the more power to ya."

"Sure." Walter shrugged as he glanced over towards the hallway again, wondering when Paige was going to return.

"So," Cabe spoke as Walter continued looking off in the distance, "on a scale of 1 to 10, how much do you love Paige."

"What I feel for Paige is immeasurable," Walter replied distantly.

"Good answer," Cabe smirked. "You plannin' on tyin' the knot anytime soon?"

"Hm?"

"You heard me." Cabe folded his arms against his chest.

"Tying what knot?" Walter lifted an eyebrow as he turned to look at Cabe. "What are you trying to ask?"

"It's a figure of speech," Cabe laughed as he rolled his eyes and shook his head.

"For what?"

"Let me ask you this," Cabe leaned forward and uncrossed his legs, "have you ever thought about settling down one day?"

"As in quitting Scorpion?" Walter wished Cabe would just spell things out for him.

"No," Cabe clasped his hands together, "I mean settling down. Getting married. Raising a family."

"Ohhh," Walter swallowed the lump in his throat and raked his hand through his unruly hair. "I don't believe in marriage."

"You didn't believe in love either. Look where you're at now." Cabe deadpanned.

"True, but I don't see the value of having a marriage ceremony and signing documents just to resume to a life you've already been sharing with your spouse. There's no point to it."

"_You _might not see value in marriage, but Paige does." Cabe mused. Walter pressed his lips together as Cabe's statement rang through his ears. "Besides," Cabe smirked, "If you _do _decide to pop the question and tie the knot, you'll be able to adopt Ralph as your own son." Cabe's statement caught Walter's attention. "Just something to think about."

Walter wanted nothing more than the best life for Ralph; the boy's father was in jail and due to his convictions, Drew would never receive any custody rights as far as Ralph is concerned. But…, even if Walter wanted to adopt Ralph as his own boy, he didn't want to use adoption as an incentive to marry Paige. Did he see a future with her? Yes. A family? Perhaps. Marriage? Maybe someday. He didn't want to feel forced into marriage simply to adopt Ralph; it wouldn't be fair to Paige – nor to Ralph. For now, he just wanted to focus on the relationship he and Paige currently had and see where it goes.

Paige finally returned, giving Cabe the cue to leave. After Cabe headed for the guest bedroom, Walter rose to his feet and followed Paige into their bedroom. It wasn't long until they were both free of their clothes with their limbs entangled underneath the sheets.

"Now," Paige hooked her arms around Walter's neck as she wrapped her legs around his hips, "are you _sure _these sound proof panels will work?"

"There's an 87% chance they will, but a 13% chance they won't." Walter shrugged. "Worst case scenario: Cabe experiences insomnia."

"Or he'll shoot us in our sleep!" Paige deadpanned as their bellies were pushed together.

"He won't shoot us."

"He might."

"He won't. The odds are on our side." Walter smirked and then lowered his lips to meet hers.

"You better hope so, Mr. O'Brien." Paige laughed softly. "Because if you're wrong," she muttered between kisses, "no more sex until he's gone."

"That's a risk I'm willing to take," Walter whispered before he kissed her hard on the mouth and started having his wicked, wicked way with her.

**~ SCORPION ~**

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**WriterFreak001:**

I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please, please, _please _review so I know you're enjoying this story! XD I've mapped out what I have planned for this story so you're in for a wild soon!

Have a great night!


	11. Chapter 11

**WriterFreak001: **

This chapter is also going to be another short one. Due to my outline, the twelfth chapter will be a fairly long one. :) This chapter willbe mostly in Collins's POV. I have fun writing the crazies. :)

I apologize in advance for the F-bomb droppings. Collins is just that kind of psycho.

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**Title** | Mind Games

**Fandom** | _Scorpion_ (CBS)

**Description** | Post-Deception. Four months passed since the ending of "Deception," and it seemed as though life, for the most part, returned to normal for Team Scorpion. Walter and Paige were given a chance to focus on their relationship in the midst of all of the cases that were assigned to the team. However, eventually, all great things must end, and once again, Team Scorpion will have to deal with an even bigger opponent than the Leviathan Mafia. Mark Collins is back for revenge and will have something big in store for Walter – something even the 197 IQ genius might not be able to see coming. And Collins's return just might cause a rift within the Scorpion family in the process, making it next to impossible for them to beat his ultimate game.

**Rating**| This fanfiction will be rated T for violence, obscene language, sexual themes as well as brain stuff and fluff.

**POV** | Limited Third Person

**Disclaimer** | While CBS owns _**Scorpion**_, I am the owner of this masterpiece.

**Claimer** | I am human; there are bound to be mistakes. If you feel like something _should_ be changed, you have the power to send me a review/private message. I can't guarantee if I'll change it every time, but I do read all of my reviews and all of my private messages!

* * *

**Mind Games**

**Sequel to**_** Deception**_

**Written by WriterFreak001**

**Chapter 11**

**~ S****CORPION ~**

Mark Collins spotted Cabe, Walter and Paige leave the garage the next morning and decided to follow them in order to find out what they were up to. However, he never had to set foot outside his new Headquarters in order to track them down. He knew that all squad cars were issued with an embedded tracking system so once he hacked into the Homeland Security database and enter Cabe's license plate number, he was able to track the vehicle from his computer with ease. His eyes followed the vehicle's path, and when the SUV finally stopped, he smirked.

So Walter and _the replacement _were going to register for guns, aye?

They were finally taking his games seriously and weren't messing around anymore. He loved it. He loved the attention Walter was giving him, and he was going to make sure Walter O'Brien never pays attention to that fucking whore again – even if it meant permanently removing her from the team.

The first thing he had to do was distract Walter long enough to proceed with his plans.

And he knew _exactly _what to do.

After Mark Collins minimized the GPS tracking system window, he opened up an encryption he had been working on and decided he wasn't going to do _anything _more until he finished it. If it took him three weeks to complete his masterpiece before sending it to Walter O'Brien, he was going to use those three weeks religiously.

His plan did not allow any room for errors.

And he _will _succeed.

**~ SCORPION ~**

One Week Later

"Do you think Mark Collins has given up?" Paige asked as she slipped on Walter's light blue button shirt and walked over to the window to watch the various cars zip down the street. "He's been inactive for a full week."

"No," Walter shook his head as he sat up in his bed, "Mark is obsessive-compulsive; he won't stop until he gets what he wants."

"Then why has he been silent for the past week?" Paige asked as Walter slipped out of the bed and approached her from behind, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her closer to him.

"He's planning something big." Walter frowned; he knew Mark Collins too well. When Mark was silent or inactive, it usually meant he was down the Rabbit Hole. And unlike Walter, Mark _thrived _when he was on a bender – the Rabbit Hole was where Mark Collins performed his best so Walter could only imagine why Mark Collins could be down the Rabbit Hole for seven days, and it worried him.

"I still can't believe there haven't been any leads on him yet." Paige sighed as she leaned into Walter's embrace. "He's bound to make an appearance eventually."

"Not if he's cooped up somewhere, working on a Rabbit Hole bender." Walter's hands slowly crept up underneath the shirt Paige was wearing, pressing his palms against her heated flesh. "Knowing Mark, he's purposely sent himself down the Rabbit Hole in order to embellish his plan. Unlike me," Walter rested his chin against Paige's shoulder, "Mark enjoys the Rabbit Hole and seems to think he meets his full potential when he forcibly induces himself into a world where thought only exists. Once his plan is perfected, he will emerge, and he _will _make his presence known."

"If he's down the Rabbit Hole right now, doesn't that mean he's vulnerable?" Paige asked as Walter rose his shirt off of her and tossed it onto the floor. She spun around and hooked her arms around his neck; his palms snaked around her back and pulled her close to him.

"Yes. It does, but we've searched the entire city for him. None of the facial recognition programs – mine _nor _the NSA's, FBI's, Homeland's and LAPD's – have picked him up. He doesn't want to be found, and knowing Mark, he _won't _be found unless he wants to be." Walter inhaled a deep breath and grunted out of frustration. "It's impossible to locate him, Paige."

"Since when does the impossible ever stop _you_, Walter?" Paige asked as she cupped her boyfriend's cheeks. "_You _figured out how to keep a young boy – a boy that is Ralph's age – alive without breathing underwater. _You _also helped locate a _football _after sixteen years. Both cases were deemed impossible, but _you _were able to beat the odds with the help of Happy, Toby and Sylvester."

"Mark Collins is different than those two scenarios – he's not a normal. The circumstances are not the same." Walter said as Paige squished his face inward until his lips were fishlike.

"Here's what you're going to do," Paige lightly smacked his cheeks and then stepped away from him to pick up his boxers. As she handed them to him, she continued. "You're going to get dressed, and you're going to go downstairs and meet up with the others. Then you're going to put your IQs together and figure something out because _Failure _and _Mr. I Can't_ have left the garage and aren't coming back until I say so. I may be your girlfriend, but I'm also your project manager too. So this is me, managing your projects. Now take a deep breath, get down there and reset." Paige gave him a quick kiss and then headed for the bathroom. "When I get done with my shower, I better have some progress."

"And if we can't figure something out?" Walter lifted an eyebrow; he couldn't deny the fact that he was liking this fiery side to Paige – one of the main reasons he had hired her in the first place. She had lots of spunk, and she often used it to motivate the team and help them get their acts together.

Paige hummed for a moment and then smirked, "If you want some of this tonight," she gestured towards her very naked body, "then you guys better have some good results before dinner because a garage-full of geniuses who can't put their minds together to locate one crazy psycho is just pathetic."

"Now wait a minute," Walter approached her, "why is it that I get punished if the whole team doesn't pull through?" Sometimes, Paige's logic really boggled him.

"Well I can't exactly take away your intellect, can I?" Paige laughed and leaned against the doorframe to the bathroom. "Besides, _you're _the only one privileged to touch me in _very _intimate places. Oh, and you're the boss," she winked. "If the team fails, the leader has to make up for the damages."

"So it automatically comes down to sex or no sex?" Walter still wasn't understanding Paige's angle. "Isn't that considered blackmail?"

"Now you're catching on," Paige laughed. "If you _really _enjoy making love with me, Walter," Paige hooked her arms around his neck, "which I know you do," she tantalized his scalp as her fingers curled into his hair, "then I know you'll do _everything _in your power to ensure your fellow geniuses don't disappoint. I wouldn't necessarily call it 'blackmail;' it's more of an incentive – a piece of motivation."

"Perhaps it's time to find a _new _piece of motivation," Walter pressed his lips together and gazed into Paige's eyes. While Paige's threat of not having sex _did _usually motivate Walter to work harder, he wished she would use some other tactic – one that didn't hinder his personal life when it's his professional life that was usually in jeopardy. But, he had to remind himself that when the boss was sleeping with one of the employees, personal and professional lives usually tended to mesh together. "Something that doesn't have to threaten our sexual lives."

"Fine," Paige smirked; she had been clearly thinking about this for a while. "If you and the team perform well today," Paige walked him backwards until he hit the bed. He gulped as she pushed him and then climbed on top of him, straddled his pelvic region and pushed her belly towards his, "then tonight, I will…," she lowered her lips down to his ear and whispered several dirty things she was willing to do to him if the team made progress against Mark Collins. Walter made incoherent noises in response to Paige's rather long list of sexual stimulations. Instead of threatening Walter with a punishment, she changed her tactic up a little bit and offered him quite the reward if the team pulled through. "How does that sound?"

"Sounds good," Walter's voice was tense when he answered her.

Remembering that she wanted to go down there immediately, he started to pull away from her. Paige lifted an eyebrow as she pushed her belly against his and then trapped him against the bed. "What're you doing?" Paige softly laughed and laced her fingers with his so he wouldn't try pushing her off of him.

"You said you wanted me to go down there now." Walter looked towards the door. "Is that not what you want anymore?"

"What I want," Paige kissed him, "is for me to finish having my wicked way with you this morning before you go _anywhere_. Once we're done with _our _project," she gestured towards their conjoined bodies, "you may join your team."

Walter smirked, and his eyebrows both lifted upward. "Since you _are _the project manager, is there any chance _our_ current project could multiply within the next few hours?"

"Don't push your luck," Paige laughed and then kissed him hard on the mouth.

**~ SCORPION ~**

Sometime later, both Walter and Paige made their way to the lower level of the garage to find everyone at their own desks while Cabe and Ralph played chess against each other. "All right," Walter called out as they descended the stairs, "Collins has been silent for the last seven days; knowing him, he's induced himself down the Rabbit Hole. We don't know how long he plans on being down there, but this might be our only chance to catch him while he's vulnerable. So we need to use our 700+ IQ and get some damn results for once." Walter usually didn't curse unless he was incredibly mad or extremely frustrated, and when he _did _curse, his teammates knew he meant business. As Paige walked over to the kitchen to make some breakfast, he started the coffeemaker. Due to the number of dirty dishes in the sink, it wasn't hard to figure out that everybody else ate already.

As they sat down to eat their breakfast, Toby made his way over to them. "I've been doing some thinking, Walt." Toby sat down across from the 197 IQ genius. "I don't know why this hadn't occurred to me earlier, but I think I might have an idea where Mark Collins _might _be hiding."

"Go on," Walter stopped shoveling eggs into his mouth and looked at his friend.

"Collins, as we all know, is a freakin' paranoid psycho who suffers from OCD. At his house, he had a woppin' satellite dish standing in his backyard to pick up radio frequencies. He loves listening in on radios and eavesdropping on conversations. It's his hobby; not something he could drop cold turkey. Anyway, if I were a psycho like Mark who wanted everything to go according to my plans, I would be close to my target so I could observe everyone and make sure my plans are unfolding properly. That being said, I think Mark is close by; he has to be."

Walter rose to his feet and abandoned his breakfast as he raced to his desk. "You might be on to something, Toby. Sylvester!" Walter called over to the human calculator, "Check to see if any of the vacant apartments within a one-mile radius from the garage were recently rented or purchased within the last month." Walter turned to Happy. "Happy, if there's an abandoned warehouse within the area, I want to know about it."

"Got it!" Happy exclaimed as she started typing away at her computer.

Paige walked up to Ralph and wrapped her arms around her son as the geniuses worked. "I'm hacking into the security cameras of the local apartment complexes; if Mark is renting an apartment, he'll show up. My software will ping if it catches an 80% match." Walter quickly printed a photo of Mark. "I'm going across the street to see if Mark is inhabiting one of the apartments directly across from us. Perhaps the clerk would recognize him." As he started to leave for the door, Paige gave Ralph a kiss on the head and then followed him.

It was only a matter of time before Mark Collins was either caught or emerges with a new plan in motion. And Walter, Paige, Happy, Toby, Sylvester, Cabe and Ralph all needed to be prepared for whichever outcome comes their way.

"Excuse me," Paige called out to the clerk behind the desk in the lobby of the apartment complex directly across from the garage, "We're with Homeland Security; do you have a moment?"

"What's going on?" the woman frowned; Walter noticed the name on her badge. Susan.

"There is a dangerous man roaming the streets of LA, and we're trying desperately to apprehend him," Paige continued as Walter placed Mark's picture in front of the woman. "Do you recognize this man?"

"I can't say that I do." Susan glanced at the photo.

Then Walter thought of something. He remembered a time when he was at a diner with Paige for breakfast one morning. He vaguely saw a man in the corner who looked very similar to Mark Collins but also different. He wondered if that man was in fact Collins. "Imagine him without a beard and no glasses."

Susan looked again. "Now that I think about it, a man who _did _resemble this profile picture rented out a room three weeks ago. Unfortunately, he got up and left this morning and said he wouldn't be back."

"Thank you for your time," Paige smiled and pulled Walter to the side. "So Mark Collins _was _supposedly here for the last three weeks. If he left this morning, he's not in the Rabbit Hole anymore."

Damn. "No. He's not."

Then Paige turned around, "Do you mind if we take a look at his old apartment, then?"

"Have a warrant?"

"We don't need one," Walter spat. "The apartment is not currently occupied by any person so technically it is considered public property until leased again."

"Please, Miss," Paige squeezed Walter's hand, "It's a matter of national security."

"Fine," she sighed. "Room 516." She handed Paige a key card.

"Thank you," Paige smiled and then bumped Walter's elbow. Walter thanked the young woman as well before they disappeared into the elevator. When they arrived to the apartment, nothing seemed out of the ordinary except for a cell phone. It rang. Walter walked over to it and picked it up; an unknown caller was blaring on the screen.

"Hello?" Walter answered the phone call and put the phone on speaker.

"_Is it just me, Walter, or is your intelligence declining? The Walter O'Brien I know would have founded me by now. What's changed Walter? My absence? Your company? Oh wait, I know what it is," _Mark chuckled, _"your IQ started dropping when you began fucking that harlot of yours." _Paige covered her mouth, and Walter was starting to grow angry at Mark's words. _"And don't deny it Walter; I've seen the way you two fuck each other. It's all you ever do these days. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Well, you know what, O'Brien? If sexual intercourse with my replacement is well worth your time these days, then perhaps I should give fucking your whore a try." _

Walter wanted to punch another wall again. "This conversation is over."

"_Why? Because you know it's true?" _

"No," Walter scowled. "Because all I continue hearing out of your moth are incessant lies, and I'm tired of it all. Paige is the best thing that has ever happened to me, and I'm sorry if you can't accept that fact, Mark. And if you _ever _come near her or near Ralph, I swear it'll be the last thing you do."

"_Just think about it, Walter. How would you respond if you found me reaming your whore's body against her will? Would you really kill me? And I wonder how she would feel after the fact; perhaps she would feel unworthy to touch you ever again. Perhaps she would feel so violated that she'll permanently remove herself from the world because she wouldn't be able to handle hating herself. You may enjoy fucking her now, Walter O'Brien, but once a skank is always a skank. After all, she __**did **__have son out of wedlock, did she not?" _

"Stop!" Paige suddenly clamped her hands over her ears and screamed at the phone. "You don't know me," Paige inhaled a deep breath, "and I'm not going to let your filthy delusions and your empty threats get under Walter's and my skins. You don't know _anything _about me, and I won't stand for the lies you concoct!"

"_She speaks," _Mark chuckled. _"You'll thank me, Walter, one day when you realize you don't need Paige Dineen in your life. She's a thorn on my side, and let this be a warning to you, Miss Dineen; I __**will **__get what I want. If that means I have to delete you in the process, I will do just that. And while you're begging for your life, Paige Dineen, Walter won't be able to save you. __**No one **__will be able to save you. Your absence will be a blessing in this world because with you out of the picture, it'll be one less intellectual inferior to worry about." _

"I'm not afraid of you," Paige tried to stay strong even though she was terrified of the man.

"_Oh, but you should be, Paige Dineen."_

"Mark!" Walter snapped as Paige walked away and raked her hand through her hair as she tried to keep her tears from falling down. "That's enough! You wanted my attention? You've got it! Now leave Paige out of our personal business."

"_No can do, O'Brien. Paige plays a strong role in your demise so if intellect cannot send you down the Rabbit Hole, her death surely will." _

And with that, the line went dead. Walter stuffed the phone into his pocket to see if Happy could track the caller's phone even though he knew the odds of tracking Collins via phone tracking history was slim to none. He walked over to Paige who was breathing slowly; her breath was wavering. Walter stood behind her, and before he could say something, she wrapped her arms around him and leaned her head against his chest. He slowly walked her home and then gave Happy the phone, ordering her to track anything she could find about its signal. When Walter brought Paige up to their bedroom, she climbed onto his bed and faced the wall as a tear slipped down her nose. Walter inhaled a deep breath and joined her in the bed, holding her close to him as she melted into his embrace. He didn't need to have a strong EQ to know what was bothering her. "I won't let Mark Collins come near you nor near Ralph. He would have to go through me before anything else, Cabe, Toby, Happy and Sylvester before coming near you or your son."

She remained silent for a few minutes. "What if…what if he's right?"

"No. He's not right." Walter answered quickly. "Collins might be a lot of things, but he has a very twisted personality; nothing he says is nor will ever be right. You are not what he says you are; period."

Paige inhaled a deep breath and let it out slowly as she gave her boyfriend a slight nod. "Okay." She turned around and kissed his warm lips. "But…. Can you promise me something, Walter?"

"What?"

"If…If things go south with Collins, and something happens to me, protect Ralph with everything you have. I want Ralph to be your top priority – not me nor the team. Okay?" Paige wasn't kidding around, and Walter knew she was meaning business.

Walter nodded. "Okay. But nothing's going to happen to either of you. I won't let it."

Paige smiled and kissed him. "I know. I know you won't let anything happen to us."

Walter leaned over her and pulled her into a heated kiss; Walter swore to himself he was going to protect Paige whether she liked it or not. While Ralph _was _Walter's top priority, he still wasn't going to abandon Paige in order to protect her son. He was going to protect both of them – even if it was the last thing he'd ever do.

**~ SCORPION ~**

Mark Collins smirked as he admired his handiwork. A full week of writing a heavily encrypted code was a success, and it was ready for send-off. Mark personalized the email to Walter's account and then sent it almost immediately afterwards. In the next 24 hours, Walter O'Brien will return to the Rabbit Hole, and Mark could hardly wait to put his plan into motion.

**~ SCORPION ~**

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**WriterFreak001: **

Okay, so it was longer than I was anticipating.

Note: there will NOT be any sexual abuse, molestation, rape within this story. There was only the mere mention of it. I PROMISE!

Please let me know what you think! :)

Reviews really keep me going XD


	12. Chapter 12

**WriterFreak001: **

Thank you for your continual support!

Nothing new as of right now.

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**Title** | Mind Games

**Fandom** | _Scorpion_ (CBS)

**Description** | Post-Deception. Four months passed since the ending of "Deception," and it seemed as though life, for the most part, returned to normal for Team Scorpion. Walter and Paige were given a chance to focus on their relationship in the midst of all of the cases that were assigned to the team. However, eventually, all great things must end, and once again, Team Scorpion will have to deal with an even bigger opponent than the Leviathan Mafia. Mark Collins is back for revenge and will have something big in store for Walter – something even the 197 IQ genius might not be able to see coming. And Collins's return just might cause a rift within the Scorpion family in the process, making it next to impossible for them to beat his ultimate game.

**Rating**| This fanfiction will be rated T for violence, obscene language, sexual themes as well as brain stuff and fluff.

**POV** | Limited Third Person

**Disclaimer** | While CBS owns _**Scorpion**_, I am the owner of this masterpiece.

**Claimer** | I am human; there are bound to be mistakes. If you feel like something _should_ be changed, you have the power to send me a review/private message. I can't guarantee if I'll change it every time, but I do read all of my reviews and all of my private messages!

* * *

**Mind Games**

**Sequel to**_** Deception**_

**Written by WriterFreak001**

**Chapter 12**

**~ S****CORPION ~**

Walter woke up early the next morning and gazed at Paige as she slept soundly in his arms. Throughout the night, Mark's words played over and over and over again inside Walter's mind as he analyzed each statement, word for word. While Mark believed Walter's IQ was dropping due to his relationship with Paige, Walter believed it was the exact opposite. Because of Paige, Walter's mind was able to function adequately. Since his EQ levels were improving, he was able to help people with both sides of his brain (moderately, of course), which, in turn, enabled him to connect with his clients. Paige, in many ways, was an incredible asset to the team, and Walter believed, with _her _help, he would eventually be able to overcome his lack of Emotional Quotient. Before meeting Paige, Walter believed EQ was a weakness, but the woman sleeping next to him gradually helped him realize that emotions were strengths – not weaknesses.

Friendships had always been important to Walter. Even though he wasn't capable of establishing emotional connections with people, he still valued what very few friends he had made over the years. Because of his lonely adolescent years, he knew how hard it was to make friends – some people were able to connect with him on an intellectual level, but those who could only make emotional connections never panned out. And since Walter wanted Ralph to meet his full potential in every area, the boy needed to be able to make emotional connections with people at a young age; if he didn't, he would end up like Walter and would find it nearly impossible to make friends. Walter was lucky to have met Happy, Toby and Sylvester over the years; even if he found it very difficult to establish emotional connections with people, he was still able to make friends who were capable of understanding him from an intellectual level.

Paige, Cabe and his sister, Megan, were the only exceptions.

Paige, for obvious reasons, would most likely be the only woman in the world (excluding Happy) who would be able to stimulate Walter's intellect and _still _find ways to connect with him. She knew how difficult he was on an emotional basis, and yet, she was still capable of connecting with him.

To this day, his relationship with Paige was beyond his understanding, but he certainly wasn't complaining.

Cabe, unlike Walter's father, was able to connect with him at a very young age. Even though Cabe wasn't a genius, he helped guide Walter throughout his teenage years and taught him everything he needed to know on how to be a young man. Cabe would bestow computers and visit frequently – sometimes, his visits were random and had nothing to do with the government cases he would often send to Walter. Until the incident in Baghdad, Cabe made sure Walter didn't feel utilized or exploited. While the agent made Walter understand that he was an important asset to the US government, Cabe also treated him like family – not a tool. For those reasons alone, Walter would always be grateful for Cabe's involvement in his life – even if their relationship was still on the mend.

Despite the fact that Megan was Walter's sister, she was the only member of his family who had found a way to connect with him. For years, Walter idolized her; she was everything he wanted to be. She wasn't afraid of authority and always wanted what was best for Walter – even if it meant breaking a few rules along the way. Walter still owes her a Lamborghini, and one day, he was _going _to repay her like he promised. When she contracted MS, Walter felt useless. Every day, he asked himself why he was born with such a high IQ if he couldn't even use his intellect to cure his sister's disease. Someday, he believed he was going to cure MS, but at this point, he was still grasping at straws.

As much as he valued his intellectual connections with Sylvester, Happy and Toby, he believed his emotional connections with Paige, Cabe and Megan were as vitally important as anything else. In ways, having both kinds of connections made him feel balanced and well-nurtured.

Walter's relationship with Ralph, on the other hand, was very different than his relationships with everyone else. With Ralph, while Walter did have an intellectual connection with the boy, he also believed there was an underlining emotional connection shared between them too. Ralph was the juxtaposition of intellect and emotion for Walter, and with the boy's help, Walter believed his relationships with his girlfriend and all of his friends would improve as well.

His connections – intellectual and emotional – were what separated him from Mark Collins…, and Walter believed valuing friends would be his trump card against Mark. He was determined to use whatever resource he could in order to defeat Mark Collins once and for all. It was only a matter of time before the two of them faced off, and Walter was going to be ready. He _had _to be ready. He _needed _to be ready.

Walter's thoughts disappeared when Paige stretched her arms against him. "Good morning," she smiled and then greeted him with a long, hard kiss. "Sleep well?"

"Mhmm," he nodded as she kissed him again. Then, the smell of bacon filled the room, and before he could do or say anything, Paige jumped off of him and bolted for the bathroom. When he heard a painful wretch beyond the bathroom door, he slid out of bed, slipped on his boxers and pushed the bathroom door open to find Paige hovering over the toilet. He frowned and walked up to her, remembering a time when his mother had held Megan's hair up and rubbed her back as she threw up into the toilet shortly after she contracted MS. Walter figured Paige would want the same thing so he knelt down behind her, collected her hair into his palm and then gently rubbed the back of her shoulders as she continued heaving into the toilet. Minutes later, she lifted her head up and flushed the contents down the drain. He handed her a towel to wipe her mouth and then found a hair clip on the counter. He messily clipped her hair back and then helped her to the counter where she rinsed her mouth out with mouthwash before she brushed her teeth. "Are you okay?"

She nodded slowly. "Probably just caught a bug."

"Okay," Walter muttered, not questioning the matter any further. He followed her as she started for the bedroom, but when she reached the door, she stopped dead in her tracks before turning back around and mad-dashing for the toilet again. Luckily her hair was pinned to the back of her head. Walter returned to her and rubbed her shoulders again, repeating the last five minutes once more. After she brushed her teeth once again, Walter walked into the bedroom and picked up her silky blue nightgown. He slipped the gown over her head and then helped her back into the bed. "Wait here; I'll grab a bucket."

"Walter," Paige reached for his hand, "I feel fine now."

"You repetitively regurgitated for almost eight minutes; clearly, you're unwell." Walter stated as he walked away from Paige's touch and slipped on his bathrobe. "I'll be right back." Before Paige could argue with him, he disappeared and reappeared a minute later with a rusty spittoon. "This was all I could find on short notice. It was once my dad's. Don't worry," he placed it in her arms, "it's been sterilized."

"If you think I'm going to," she looked inside the spittoon and grew very pale. She shoved the spittoon away from her and bolted for the bathroom again. Walter sighed, placed the spittoon on the bedside table and then remembered the buckets Happy had purchased a few months back; she only used three of the four of them so he raced down to the lower level of the garage, frantically searched for the unused bucket, and when he found it, he hustled back up to his room, ignoring all of the stares he was receiving in the process. Walter placed the clean bucket next to the bed and checked on Paige. She was still hovering over the toilet.

"Do you _still _think you're fine?" Walter lifted an eyebrow as she flushed the commode.

"Shut up," she snapped as she wiped her mouth. She started to rise but groaned and sank back to the floor. "I suddenly feel very dizzy…."

"Do you need me to get Toby?" Walter inquired as he wondered what he should do to help his girlfriend feel better. Once again, he felt handcuffed.

"No," she shook her head. "I think I just have some stomach bug; it'll pass after a day." Paige inhaled a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I need to get to the sink."

"Okay." Walter nodded and helped her rise to her feet. For the third time in the morning, she washed her mouth out with mouthwash and brushed her teeth. He helped her back to the bed, tucked her in and showed her the clean, unused bucket. "If you have issues with this one, then I'm going to take you back to the bathroom where you can sit next to the toilet for the next 24 hours."

Paige gave him a tiresome smile as she leaned back into the pillows. "This one will be fine."

"Okay." Walter raked a hand through his hair. "Is there something you need? Water? Food? Maybe not food, but I _do _know you need to stay hydrated. Are you too weak to drink water? Wait…," Walter paused, "You'll need electrolytes in your system too. Perhaps Gatorade or Ginger Ale? I think we have some Ginger Ale. Wait…, do you even like Ginger Ale?"

"Walter," Paige squeezed his hand, "It's just a bug; I'll be fine." She closed her eyes, inhaled a sharp breath and then let it out slowly. "On second thought, Ginger Ale sounds good right now."

"Okay," Walter nodded as he headed for the door.

"Walter?"

"Yeah?"

"Perhaps you should get dressed first. It might help calm your nerves."

She knew him too well. "That's…probably a likely scenario." Walter headed for his closet, changed into a pair of jeans, a light blue shirt and a dark blue tie and then raced for the door only to scramble back into the room to give Paige a quick kiss on the forehead.

"You're such a dork," she quietly laughed as he retreated his bedroom and made his way down to the lower level of the garage again.

He went straight to the kitchen, pulled out a tall glass and placed it onto the counter before he went searching for the Ginger Ale. After a minute of opening and closing cabinets, he found an unopened bottle on one of the shelves in front of the kitchen. After he poured the ale into the glass, he walked back up the stairs and delivered the drink to Paige, telling her to call him on his cell phone if she needed anything. When he returned to the lower level of the garage, he walked to his desk and fidgeted with one of his Rubik's Cubes.

Cabe headed for Walter's desk and placed a plate of eggs and bacon in front of him as everyone else approached him too. "Have some breakfast, Walt. Can't work on an empty stomach."

"Thanks," Walter forced a smile before shoveling the food into his mouth.

"What's eating you?" Toby inquired as everyone gathered in front of his desk.

Walter knew there was no point in hiding things; they would find out eventually. "Paige is a bit under the weather. She caught a bug somewhere – probably from Ralph's school when she went over there to pick up Ralph's homework the other day – and is in no condition to work."

"What kind of bug?" Happy frowned.

"Will my mom be okay?" Ralph asked with wide, concerned eyes.

"She'll be fine," Walter nodded and then answered Happy. "She has some sort of stomach virus. I don't know if she's running a fever, though; I was too busy comforting her as she vomited into the toilet."

Happy's face contorted, and Sylvester discreetly handed Walter a Clorox wipe, while Cabe escorted Ralph towards Proton Arnold. Toby, on the other hand, smirked. "You want me to go up and check on her?" Toby asked as he took off his hat and combed his hair with his fingers. "I _am _a doctor, after all; I can make sure there's nothing serious going on."

"You think it could be something serious?" Walter folded his arms in front of him and pressed his lips to a fine line as he gave his friend a concerned expression.

"It probably isn't, but it's always a good idea to make sure nothing's wrong in case there is. Vomiting could be a symptom to _anything_. I don't mind checking on her." Toby put his hat back on. "I can even take her temperature and make sure she's not running a fever too."

"She told me not to ask you to go up there." Walter frowned as he leaned into his chair and heaved a sigh.

As he closed his eyes, Toby chuckled. "That may be so, Walter, but you didn't ask me; I'm offering."

Walter's right eye popped open, and he smiled, approving of Toby's loophole. "Okay. Keep me posted."

**~ SCORPION ~**

Toby had a faint idea what might be going on with Paige, but he wouldn't be certain until he spoke with her. If his theory was correct, then the team was going to have a lot more on their hands than just worrying about Mark Collins. Even though he had a slight idea as to what might be the cause of Paige's so-called bug, he didn't want to say anything in front of Walter in case he had been wrong. Also, if he had been right, it wasn't his place to tell Walter.

When Toby reached Walter's room, he knocked on the door and heard a faint voice telling him to come in. Paige frowned upon his arrival. "I told Walter not to send you up here."

"I know," Toby smirked, "He was actually against it; I volunteered."

"I'm fine, Toby. Walter's probably overreacting. It's just a bug; that's all." Paige replied as she folded her arms in front of her chest. "Tomorrow, I'll be good as new; you'll see."

"Did you feel sick at all yesterday?" Toby lifted an eyebrow as he took a seat in one of the chairs next to the bed.

"No." Paige shook her head but avoided eye contact with Toby.

"What caused your first little episode?"

Paige shrugged. "I smelled bacon." Her nose wrinkled; Toby could tell another wave of nausea had passed over her. She reached over for the bucket, but nothing happened. The wave had disappeared as quickly as it had appeared.

"Interesting," Toby mused. He took off his hat and placed it on the foot of the bed. "Any stomach pain?"

"Cramps," Paige answered him monotonously. "What are you trying to get at, Toby?"

"I don't think you have a bug, Paige." Toby answered slowly, catching the woman's attention. "And I have a feeling you know I'm right."

"Right about what?" Her voice wavered slightly.

"I think you know." Toby gave his friend a small smile. "After all; I have a pretty damn good feeling you've experienced this sort of _sickness _before, am I right?"

"Toby," Paige closed her eyes and pinched her nose, "It's nothing but a bug."

"Deny it all you want, Paige, but I think, somewhere inside, you know you're not sick with a bug." Toby rose to his feet and folded his arms in front of him. "Not to overstep any boundaries, but when was your last menstrual cycle?"

"That's none of your business!" Paige snapped as she threw a pillow at the shrink.

"You don't have to answer me, Paige! Yeesh!" Toby cowered in his seat as the pillow smacked him in the arms, "Just answer it in your mind!"

Paige froze; Toby could tell her mind was calculating something. "Oh God. No, no, no, no, no!" She clamped her hands over her head, "I can't be…."

"Are you sure about that?" Toby lifted his eyebrow and chuckled. "I'm not here to judge you, Paige. With as much unprotected sex as you and Walter have, it was _bound _to happen sooner or later." He placed his hand over her shoulder. "If it makes you feel any better, there's no way in knowing unless you take a test. I could be wrong."

Paige shot a glance at Toby. "I can't leave the garage with Mark Collins out there; he's made it very clear he wants to kill me."

"Don't worry about it. One of the good things about being a street rat is that you know how to slip away unnoticed. I'll go to the pharmacy and pick up a box for you. You just rest and drink lots of fluids. _If _you are pregnant, Paige, you're going to need your strength." Toby retracted his palm and gave Paige a thumb's up. "I've got your back." He started to leave, but Paige called out his name. "Hm?"

"What do I do if I am? Mark Collins is still out there, and if he finds out…." Paige couldn't bring herself to finish her statement. Toby could tell she was trying very hard not to let her tears fall. She covered her head with her hands. "This is such a mess."

"Hey," Toby walked back to her and touched her shoulder again. "You need to stop worrying over what-ifs and unknowns. If you're pregnant, the last thing you want is stress on your mind. I know Mark Collins is a very stressful topic, but you can't let that bastard get inside your mind. You are safe in Scorpion, and the security – thanks to Happy and Walter – has been upgraded exponentially since the Mafia incident last year. Whether or not you want to tell everyone about your possible pregnancy is your business; no one will hear a single word from me. I'll keep our little discussion a secret from everybody – including Walter. And if you decide to keep your possible condition a secret, we're all here for you regardless. Ralph too."

Paige gave Toby a weary smile. "Okay."

"First thing's first; confirmation. I'll help you get a testing kit; what you decide to do with it is your decision." Toby squeezed her shoulder and then moved his palm to his side.

"Thanks, Toby." Paige took a sip of her Ginger Ale and then sank into the pillows. "You're a good friend."

He shrugged and chuckled. "I try to be."

**~ SCORPION ~**

As Toby descended the stairs, Walter circled around his desk and made his way to the shrink. "Well? Is it something serious?"

"Nope!" Toby grinned. "Just a bug. She needs lots of rest and plenty of fluids; I suggest you leave her be for a while and check up on her in a few hours."

"Copy that." Walter nodded and then left the shrink; he didn't even notice Toby grab his wallet and sneak to the back entrance. He walked over to Ralph and ruffled his hair. "Toby says your mom's going to be fine."

"Can I see her?" Ralph turned to look at Walter with pleading eyes.

"Maybe later," Walter knelt down and patted the boy on the shoulder. "She needs her rest."

"Okay," Ralph nodded before resuming Proton Arnold. Walter stood up, ruffled Ralph's hair a little bit more and then returned to his desk to continue searching for Mark Collins.

**~ SCORPION ~**

About an hour after her consultation with Toby, he returned with a box of pregnancy tests, telling her that buying lottery tickets, scratch cards and itching cream was his cover story. He informed her that Walter might be checking in on her soon so if she wanted to get the test done and over with, she would either need to do it right away or wait until Walter left. After his friendly warning, he left, leaving Paige to decide whether or not she wanted to find out the truth.

She knew that if she was going to find out, she needed to take the test right away; otherwise, she wouldn't do it. She would be too afraid to take the test – especially with what's going on with Mark Collins. She was feeling slightly better; the nausea was gone, but her headache wasn't. She slowly walked to the bathroom and closed the door, taking the box of pregnancy tests with her.

**~ SCORPION ~**

"I'll be right back," Walter said to whomever was listening. "I'm going to check on Paige." All pairs of eyes stared at him as he made his ascent, and he remained oblivious to them. He walked to his room and pushed the door open; Paige was getting dressed for the day. "Are you feeling better?"

She jumped to his voice but quickly recovered. "Yes. Much better."

"Are you hungry?"

"A little," Paige nodded as she slipped her feet into her boots.

"I think there's a batch of cookies in the kitchen; Cabe mentioned something about Homeland delivering a bunch of them this morning. Perhaps you'd be able to stomach one." Walter said as he walked towards Paige. She turned towards him and leaned against him. She closed her eyes. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yeah," she answered quickly. "I just have a headache."

"Okay," Walter was unconvinced, but he didn't say anything. He reached for her hand and gently tugged her towards the stairs of the loft. When they reached the kitchen, Paige glanced at the cookies once before pushing Walter to the side only to sprint to the bathroom on the lower level of the garage. He frowned and debated whether or not to follow her. Inhaling a deep breath, Walter walked towards the bathroom and found Paige hovering over the toilet once more. She told him to go away, not wanting to be disturbed. Walter respected her wishes and left for his desk.

He sat down in front of his computer and remembered he had an unread email waiting for him. He didn't recognize the sender, but he opened the email anyway. Sequences of numbers, Greek letters and mathematical symbols blared on the screen. As much as he knew he should look away, his mind compelled him to solve the intense algorithm he received via email. He mindlessly pulled out a steno notepad, grabbed a pencil and started jotting down the algorithm, letter by letter by number.

The numbers and the letters drew him in; they begged him to solve their algorithm – to complete their sequence. He was being sucked into a void where only thought existed. Everything around him faded into darkness as the algorithm splayed across his mind and permeated his every thought.

Walter O'Brien was back inside the Rabbit Hole.

**~ SCORPION ~**

* * *

**WriterFreak001: **

Didn't expect that one, did you!?

What do you think will happen now that Walt has been submerged into the Rabbit Hole? Will Collins strike or will he wait and see how things pan out.

Also, do you think Paige is pregnant or do you think it was just a false alarm?"

Let me know via review! I love them, and they keep me going! :D


	13. Chapter 13

**WriterFreak001: **

The promo for the next episode can be found on SpoilerTV*DOT*com.

I am not saying one way or another (you just have to find out as you read the story), but I hope that if the events in the story don't go the way you want it to (mainly revolving around Paige's possible pregnancy), that you don't stop reading the story.

Thanks! ^_^

* * *

**Title** | Mind Games

**Fandom** | _Scorpion_ (CBS)

**Description** | Post-Deception. Four months passed since the ending of "Deception," and it seemed as though life, for the most part, returned to normal for Team Scorpion. Walter and Paige were given a chance to focus on their relationship in the midst of all of the cases that were assigned to the team. However, eventually, all great things must end, and once again, Team Scorpion will have to deal with an even bigger opponent than the Leviathan Mafia. Mark Collins is back for revenge and will have something big in store for Walter – something even the 197 IQ genius might not be able to see coming. And Collins's return just might cause a rift within the Scorpion family in the process, making it next to impossible for them to beat his ultimate game.

**Rating**| This fanfiction will be rated T for violence, obscene language, sexual themes as well as brain stuff and fluff.

**POV** | Limited Third Person

**Disclaimer** | While CBS owns _**Scorpion**_, I am the owner of this masterpiece.

**Claimer** | I am human; there are bound to be mistakes. If you feel like something _should_ be changed, you have the power to send me a review/private message. I can't guarantee if I'll change it every time, but I do read all of my reviews and all of my private messages!

* * *

**Mind Games**

**Sequel to**_** Deception**_

**Written by WriterFreak001**

**Chapter 13**

**~ S****CORPION ~**

Paige flushed the toilet once more and rinsed her mouth out with water before leaving the bathroom. She knew everyone was staring at her, but she ignored them as she made her way to the bathroom upstairs to brush her teeth and swish mouthwash around in her mouth. When she returned to the lower level of the garage, she walked over to her son and ruffled his hair.

"How are you feeling, Mom?" Ralph asked as he looked up from her computer and met her eyes; he hardly ever made eye contact with Paige, but when he did, it was normally because he was worried about someone or something; in this case, he was obviously worried about her.

"I'm feeling better," Paige lied as she flashed her son a smile. "In fact," she bent down and kissed his forehead, "I feel _so _great, I'm thinking about taking a walk to the park with Walter. Do you want to come with us?"

"Sure!" Ralph smiled. "Can we get ice cream too?"

Paige inhaled a deep breath as her stomach churned at the thought of ice cream. She faked a smile. "Of course." She kissed his forehead once more and then rose to her feet. "Why don't you finish your game while I see if Walter is available?"

"Okay!" Ralph beamed and returned to the computer screen as Paige sauntered over to Walter's desk.

"Hey," she lightly smacked him in the arm, "Wanna go to the park with me and Ralph as well as get some ice cream?" She knew she shouldn't leave the garage if in fact she was pregnant, but she needed to stretch her legs, and cardio up and down the garage stairs wasn't hacking it. Plus, she needed to convince her son she was all right, even if she wasn't. When Paige had ripped the first test out of its package, she wasn't sure she could go through with it; the timing was horrible, and if she happened to be pregnant, Mark Collins would have a field day if he ever found out. Even though she was afraid of the results, she took the test anyway – four times in case the first one happened to be a false positive.

Unfortunately, she received a text from Toby saying Walter was on his way up to the loft so she placed the tests into the sink, pitched the box into the trashcan and then closed the door behind her. She didn't know if she had time to run back into the bed so she started changing into her day clothes to have an excuse as to why she was out of the bed. "Walter," she called out to him when he didn't answer her, "did you hear me?" When he didn't respond for a second time, she frowned, wondering if he was mad at her for sending him away earlier. She circled around his desk and tapped on his shoulder. "Walter?" She noticed the various scribbles on the steno notepad he was writing on. He was muttering to himself; muttering incoherent words. Perhaps he wasn't saying words at all. Paige couldn't tell. She bent down and hovered her lips next to his ear; she knew her voice strongly stimulated him so she figured she should try whispering his name in a more intimate tone. He still did not waver. She frowned and rose to her feet before she turned towards Sylvester. "Sylvester," she pointed towards her boyfriend, "Do you know what's wrong with Walter?"

Sylvester looked up from his Rubik's Cube and glanced at Paige and then at Walter. "Oh God." Sylvester leapt from his chair and raced towards Walter. From the front of Walter's desk, Sylvester examined Walter's behavior. "Happy! Toby! Cabe! Come quickly!"

"What's wrong?" Paige's heart skipped a beat. Before Sylvester could answer her, Happy, Toby and Cabe arrived next to the human calculator. Happy looked as though she was about to punch something, Toby slapped his head and Cabe looked as clueless as Paige. "What's going on, guys?!"

"This is bad. This is really, really, really bad!" Sylvester started pacing the floor as Happy slammed her fist against the corner of Walter's desk, causing both Cabe and Paige to jump.

"We're screwed!" Toby covered his face and pulled his skin taut. "Cabe," Toby caught the agent's attention, "You think you can manage tearing Walt away from his computer? He'll probably put up a fight, but if the source of this episode is because of something on his computer screen, then we need to analyze it without Walter present."

"Again! What. Is. Going. On!?" Paige placed her hands on her hips, demanding for some answers.

"Somehow Collins got to Walt." Toby frowned. "To put things mildly, Mr. 197 has taken a nosedive into the Rabbit Hole, and unless we can pull him out of it, we're all screwed. Walter is the _only _one who can intellectually stimulate Collins and understand that bastard without scratching his head or receiving a migraine. If Walt's intellectually out of the picture, Mark Collins _will _succeed." Toby heaved a heavy sigh as Paige looked at Walter. He continued mumbling nonsense and scribbling all over his notepad.

Paige closed her eyes and inhaled a deep breath. "This can't be happening." She then remembered Ralph; she didn't want Ralph to see Walter like this. She passed Toby and jogged over to her son. "Ralph, honey," she circled around her desk and gave him a quick hug, "Change in plans; I think Walter caught the bug I had," she lied, "so it might be best if you go to your bedroom until Sylvester disinfects the downstairs. Okay?"

"Okay," Ralph nodded and didn't question his mother any further. The boy hopped off of Paige's computer chair and made his way for the stairs. Paige watched him as he ascended towards the loft and then turned towards the rest of the team. She needed to take charge. "With or without Walter, Mark Collins will not win; that's what he _wants _you guys to think, and if you buy into that mindset, you're right. Mark Collins _will _win. Since we've hit a speedbump," she glanced at her boyfriend before turning her attention towards the team, "we need to change our tactics a bit."

"Not me," Happy frowned. "I warned Walt what would happen if he went down there again; you can count me out."

"Happy," Toby caught her arm before she could race off to her desk, "You can't bail like this; not now."

"Watch me," Happy fumed as she ripped her arm away from Toby's grasp and marched towards her desk. "I will _not _go down that path again; you can't make me."

"Happy," Paige called out to her, "Leave Walter to me; whatever needs to be done to wake him from his state, I'll do it. All you, Toby and Sylvester need to do is work on finding Collins. I know you hate him as much as the rest of us so focus your anger on Mark Collins and not on Walter."

Happy inhaled a sigh and pushed her hair out of her face. She grabbed her wrench. "Fine," she spat. "Just so you know, I can't be responsible for my actions _after _your boyfriend returns to reality." She smacked her wrench into her palm, "He might just have a Happy-induced headache coming his way."

"And I'm sure he'll accept it with humility," Paige sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. She turned back to the group when Happy rejoined them. "Once you drag Walter upstairs," she looked at Cabe, "do you think you might be able to help these three," she pointed towards Toby, Sylvester and Happy, "analyze Walter's computer? We can't afford another genius taking a trip down there, and all three of them are susceptible to whatever is on Walter's computer. I'm sure they'd be able to guide you from a safe distance."

"I'll sure as hell try, but what're you going to do in order to try and bring Walter out of the hole?" Cabe asked as he glanced at the leader of Scorpion.

"I don't know yet, but I'll do whatever it takes." Paige folded her arms in front of her and looked at her boyfriend; the man was still a mumbling mess.

"You _could _try forcing sex on him." Toby tried to hide his smirk. Paige gave him a death glare. "Or not."

"Okay," Cabe rolled his eyes at Toby and then looked at the human calculator. "Sylvester, help me with Walt. If he's gonna struggle, I won't be able to get him up those goddamn steps myself."

"O-okay," Sylvester's voice wavered as he circled around Walter's desk. "I'll grab his arms; you grab his feet."

"Why do I get the feet?" Cabe lifted an eyebrow.

"Because," Sylvester gulped, "Walt's…quite the kicker." Before Cabe could respond, Sylvester wrapped his arms underneath Walter's and pulled him off of his chair. Walter squirmed in Sylvester's hold as Cabe bent down to grab Walter's feet. The genius grumbled, twisted and turned as the agent and the human calculator dragged him up the stairs; it was hard for Paige to watch, and she was glad she sent Ralph up to his room. She worried, though, if the boy would hear Walter's loud grunts.

Happy walked off to her desk, mentioning something about hacking into street cameras. Toby, however, tapped Paige's shoulder, causing her to turn around. He took off his hat. "So…?"

"So…what?" Paige lifted an eyebrow as she rested her hands on her hips.

"What's the verdict?"

"Oh…," Paige swallowed the lump in her throat, "Um…, I don't know."

"You decided not to take the test?"

"No," she shook her head, "I took them."

"I'm confused," Toby scratched his head.

"I took the test…four times. I didn't have time to see the results." Paige explained as she ran a hand through her hair. "Besides, I thought you said you weren't going to butt in anymore."

"Well, that was before Mr. 197 took a nosedive down the Rabbit Hole." Toby folded his arms in front of him. "I think the terms have changed a bit, Paige. If the tests are positive, then you need to know, because if they are, we've gotta do whatever we can to keep you safe. If Walt returns to reality and finds out something's happened to you _and _your potential precious cargo, he'll never live to forget it – and he _will _blame himself. That's why it's important you find out now. You don't have to announce it to the group or anything. I just think it might be wise for _you _to know so you can take extra safety precautions while Mr. Crazy's still out there."

"Fine, but _if _the tests prove positive, I'm not going to tell _anyone_. Not even you, Toby. It's something I want to keep a secret; in the event that Mark Collins has found a way to bypass the frequency system Happy designed, then I don't want him to find out. Besides…," Paige looked towards the loft as Cabe and Sylvester came down the stairs, "If I _am _pregnant," she whispered, "I think Walter should be the first to know."

"And I respect that," Toby patted Paige's shoulder. "What you decide to do with the information is your business; you just need to be extra careful if in fact you are pregnant." Before Paige could reply, Toby left for his desk as Sylvester passed her and headed for his own.

Cabe walked up to her and placed his palm on her shoulder. "Go bring our favorite guy back."

Paige inhaled a deep breath and released it slowly. "I'll try."

"Good." Cabe smiled. "Walt's in the loft; the moment we brought him up there, the second he walked to the whiteboard and started scribbling gibberish all over the board."

"Okay…," Paige looked towards the loft, "I'll see what I can do."

**~ SCORPION ~**

Paige ascended the stairs and found Walter at the whiteboard just as Cabe had described. She decided it would be best of Ralph went down to the lower level and not see Walter in his current state. She went to her son's bedroom and found him at his computer. "Ralph?"

"Mom," Ralph turned to look at his mother, "I got a weird email. I didn't open it because you told me to never open emails from strangers, but the subject has an encrypted title."

Paige felt her heart sink. "Ralph, delete that email and turn your computer off, okay?"

"Okay." Ralph nodded and did as his mother told him.

"Come with me; I want you to go downstairs now; Walter is still not feeling well. He needs his rest." Paige said as she picked up her son and quickly walked towards the steps, hoping Ralph wouldn't see Walter at his whiteboard. Ralph rushed off to Proton Arnold. Then Paige called for everyone's attention. "I don't care what it takes," she tried to remain as calm as possible. "I want Mark Collins found; I think he just tried to send Ralph the same email he must have sent Walter. Whatever you do, stay away from your emails; we can't be too sure how many messages he had sent. For all we know," Paige frowned, "Mark Collins could be targeting the whole team; what better way to keep all of you busy than to send all of you down the Rabbit Hole? So…, don't check your emails!" Without another word, she raced back up the stairs. Mark Collins had targeted her son.

And that was not okay.

When she found Walter again, he had not moved from the board. She had to act quickly; Mark Collins was growing more aggressive. "Walter," she called her boyfriend's name as she touched his shoulder. He paused to her touch and then quickly resumed his scribbles; she sighed. "Walter," she tried again. "Walter, you _need _to listen to me." He continued writing. She knocked the marker out of his hand. He grabbed another one. She groaned and then picked up all of the markers and tossed them into the trash before snatching the one wedged between his fingers; she threw it across the room. When he turned to fetch it, she blocked his path and grabbed his face. "Walter, you need to snap out of it."

He struggled to get by her, but she would not budge. She grabbed his arm and pulled him away from the whiteboard. He tried to free himself, but she would not have it. She only tightened her grip around his wrist as she dragged him to his bedroom. Once she pushed him inside, she closed the door behind her and locked it. She put a chair in front of it to keep him from trying to escape. "Walter," she said his name again, "if you don't snap out of it, Mark Collins _will _go after Ralph." Walter froze at the mention of the boy's name. "I know you don't want that, but he's already sent Ralph an encrypted email – the same one he sent you. He wants Ralph to go down the Rabbit Hole too." She hooked her arms around the man's neck as he remained frozen in front of her. She could tell he was battling something within his mind, and hoped his emotions would win. "I know you don't want anything to happen to Ralph, Walter. He's like a son to you."

"S-son…." Walter muttered softly, causing Paige to smile.

"Yes, son." Paige reiterated as she pulled him closer to her. "Walter," she managed to capture his gaze, "If you don't snap out of it, Mark Collins might find a way to get to Ralph." She inhaled a deep breath and released it. "He might also find a way to get to me, Walter. You don't want that, do you?" Her fingers curled into his hair. "Don't give Collins what he wants."

Walter stared at her; he looked so lost. So confused. It was like he _wanted _to break free of his imprisonment, but he didn't know how.

"PAIGE! WE FOUND SOMETHING IN THE EMAIL!" Toby shouted from the lower level of the garage.

"Email…." Walter muttered. The next thing Paige knew, he ripped himself away from her, knocked the chair out of his way and bolted back towards his whiteboard. She cursed; she had almost had him.

"Thanks Toby." Paige mumbled under her breath and headed for the lower loft, forgetting about the tests still sitting in the sink.

**~ SCORPION ~**

"That's it, Walter," Mark Collins smirked as he peered into his binoculars and looked down into the window of the loft, seeing Walter writing frantically on the whiteboard. "Embrace the Rabbit Hole because once I've finished with your fucking slut, you'll never want to return to reality ever again."

**~ SCORPION ~**

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**WriterFreak001: **

So…. What do you think Team Scorpion found? What do you think Paige might do to bring Walter out of the Rabbit Hole? So many questions still unanswered!

Let me know what you think!


	14. Chapter 14

**WriterFreak001: **

Nothing new.

I hope you are enjoying this story! :D

Thanks! ^_^

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**Title** | Mind Games

**Fandom** | _Scorpion_ (CBS)

**Description** | Post-Deception. Four months passed since the ending of "Deception," and it seemed as though life, for the most part, returned to normal for Team Scorpion. Walter and Paige were given a chance to focus on their relationship in the midst of all of the cases that were assigned to the team. However, eventually, all great things must end, and once again, Team Scorpion will have to deal with an even bigger opponent than the Leviathan Mafia. Mark Collins is back for revenge and will have something big in store for Walter – something even the 197 IQ genius might not be able to see coming. And Collins's return just might cause a rift within the Scorpion family in the process, making it next to impossible for them to beat his ultimate game.

**Rating**| This fanfiction will be rated T for violence, obscene language, sexual themes as well as brain stuff and fluff.

**POV** | Limited Third Person

**Disclaimer** | While CBS owns _**Scorpion**_, I am the owner of this masterpiece.

**Claimer** | I am human; there are bound to be mistakes. If you feel like something _should_ be changed, you have the power to send me a review/private message. I can't guarantee if I'll change it every time, but I do read all of my reviews and all of my private messages!

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**WARNING: **

**Readers' Discretion is advised.**

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**Mind Games**

**Sequel to**_** Deception**_

**Written by WriterFreak001**

**Chapter 14**

**~ S****CORPION ~**

"This better be good, Toby!" Paige groaned as she descended the stairs and made her way to the team who were gathered around Walter's computer. "I was making some progress, but when you mentioned the email, Walter relapsed and went back into the Rabbit Hole."

"Trust me, Paige. This is important." Toby replied as he streamed Walter's computer to the TV screen. "After instructing Cabe to redact most of the content of the email Mark sent to Walter, we put our IQs together and found something big. Like earth-shattering big."

Paige glanced at Cabe who only shrugged as Sylvester took hold of the conversation. "We assumed Mark Collins wrote this monster encryption while he was staying in that apartment across the street; an encryption with this caliber couldn't have taken less than a day to write. It had to have taken at least a week; that being said, we believe the reason Mark Collins was dormant for an entire week was because he was writing this encryption for Walter. It's the only thing that makes sense."

"How is that earth-shattering?" Paige asked as she folded her arms in front of her.

"Mark Collins hacked into _our _Wi-Fi from across the street and used it to send his e-mail to Walter and to Ralph. He probably did it so that if we tried to trace his signal, it would lead us to a dead end." Happy explained as she blew something up on the screen. "Mark Collins thinks we're too inferior for his intellectual competence, but because he was so focused on Walter's trip down the Rabbit Hole, he made one error which could lead to his undoing."

"What did he do?" Paige asked as she took a step closer to the TV. She skimmed over the screen, but nothing made sense to her.

"By hacking into our Wi-Fi, we were able to isolate the IP address of his laptop." Happy continued. "Because of his ignorance, we'll be able to trace his IP address the next time he connects his computer to the internet."

"Granted, he might not ever connect his computer to the net, but in the event that he does, we'll be ready." Sylvester clapped his hands together. "Who is up for something to eat? I could use some pizza."

Cabe rose to his feet. "I'll go and order some for lunch."

As he stepped off to the side, Toby added, "I know it's a stretch because we have to wait and see if Mark ever connects his computer to the internet, but we're a step closer to finding him than we were an hour ago."

"Okay," Paige nodded as she pushed back her hair. "Keep me posted, but next time, _call _me or text me. I don't want Walter to relapse again."

"We _could _always give him some good ole CR," Happy shrugged as she clenched her wrench. "That should do the trick?"

"CR?" Paige didn't like the sound of that.

"Cognitive Recalibration," Toby chuckled. "Ever seen _Avengers_?"

"Oh. Right." Paige muttered as she recalled watching the movie with Ralph one afternoon after school. "And no, we are _not _doing that; have you thought of the repercussions, Happy? What if jarring his head causes some permanent damage?"

"At least it would keep him from going down the Rabbit Hole again," Happy shrugged as she walked back to her desk. "Relax, I was just kidding. I like my job, you know."

When Sylvester left for the kitchen, Toby nudged Paige's arm. "So? Have you checked your results yet?"

"No," Paige answered as she looked back towards the loft. "I completely forgot about them."

"Gotcha. I've been thinking," Toby folded his arms in front of him and caught Paige's attention, "The Rabbit Hole stimulates Walter's IQ, yes?"

"I guess so?"

"Well, I think…, the reason we've failed in the past to shake him from his Rabbit Hole visit has a lot to do with the fact that Walter never created an emotional connection with either one of us. We could only relate to him on an intellectual level. You, however, are the fire to his ice, Paige. Perhaps…, if you are able to put Walter's EQ on overdrive… that might just do the trick." Toby smirked. "So…, you might just _have _to do the nasty to him in order to get him to wake up from his cognitive state."

"In other words," Happy jumped into the conversation as she rejoined them, "you want Paige to rape Walter."

Paige's eyes popped open, and Toby defended his statement. "Rape is too harsh of a word, Happy. I was thinking more along the lines of sexual exploitation."

"Sugarcoat it all you want," Happy smirked, "it's still rape."

"We are _not _having this discussion right now." Paige clamped her hand over her ears and marched away from the pair as she ascended the stairs. Even if Toby was right – that coercing Walter to have sex with her would do the trick, she wasn't going to jump that train just yet. She wanted to see if she could coax him out first. Sex would be the last resort.

Paige found Walter writing all over his whiteboard when she reached the loft. She approached him and gently spoke his name. "Walter?" He paused what he was doing for a split second and then resumed his work. "Walter," she muttered as she stood behind him and wrapped her arms around his torso and pressed her chest against his back, "you _need _to come back. The team needs you…. _Ralph _needs you…." He paused. "I need you to come back to me, Walter." She circled around him and removed the marker from his hand. She capped it and had a wicked idea; she knew she shouldn't try to seduce him out of the Rabbit Hole, but Toby suggested to find ways to connect with his EQ. "You see this?" Paige waved the marker in front of her boyfriend's face, "If you want it back," she stuffed the marker down between her breasts, "you're going to have to work for it."

As she left for their bedroom, she knew his eyes were following her. When she turned down the hallway, she heard footsteps making their way towards her. Good. She removed the marker from her cleavage and hid it inside her underwear drawer. Screw sex being a last resort; if she had to play dirty to get Walter to wake up, then she was going to do it because Walter waking up from the Rabbit Hole was a must. She then remembered the tests sitting in the sink of the bathroom and quickly shut the door; the last thing she wanted was for Walter to stumble in on them before she had a chance to look at the results. The slamming of a door made her jump, and as she started to turn around to meet her expected visitor, a pair of hands cupped her breasts from behind her as they searched for the marker. She grinned when they slid underneath her shirt and melted against her flesh. When fingers didn't find what they were looking for, they found the lip of her shirt and pulled it off of her. He turned her around and surveyed her chest; she knew he was only looking for the marker, but the way he analyzed her body was such a turn on.

She shivered when his fingers found the clasp of her bra, and as he slowly slid her bra off of her chest, she couldn't tell if he was teasing her or if he was studying every inch of her body in search of that damn marker. His palms covered her breasts as he inspected her cleavage; he quickly realized the marker was nowhere to be found. "Like I said," Paige muttered as she pulled at his shirt, untucking it from his pants, "if you want that marker back, you're going to have to work for it." He stared at her with confusion. She loosened his tie and pulled it off of him before she removed his shirt from his body. He still didn't seem to understand what she was wanting him to do. Paige was beginning to realize that the Rabbit Hole kept Walter from recognizing anything related to EQ; if she wanted him to have sex with her, she was going to have to spell it out to him, letter by letter.

"This is going to be a long afternoon," she mumbled to herself as she pushed her hair back and found her boyfriend's questioning eyes. Toby's suggestion played inside her mind; she needed to find a way to send his EQ on overdrive…. Easier said than done. "You want that marker, yes?" He nodded. He understood marker. "And you want it now?" Another nod. "Okay. Let me go and get it." She turned around and pretended as if she was going to fetch it, but on impulse, Paige whirled around on her toes and kissed him hard on the mouth, knocking him down onto the bed in the process. If Walter needed some sort of overdrive, she would _give _him an overdrive. She weaved her fingers into his hair and lolled her tongue into his mouth, hoping to ignite _something _inside of Walter – something strong enough to pull him out of the Rabbit Hole.

And when one hand wrapped around her back as the other one grabbed her butt, she had hope.

**~ SCORPION ~**

Mark Collins watched from the roof of the apartment building he had previously quartered and cursed under his breath. That vixen was going to ruin everything! He had miscalculated the depth of _the replacement's _connection with Walter O'Brien, and she was beginning to get in the way of his plans. She _needed _to be dealt with – the sooner the better.

Fortunately for him, he was always a step ahead of the team; soon enough, he would be able to hear _everything _from within those garage walls, and it was all thanks to Cabe for ordering pizza for the team.

He was determined to delete Paige Dineen from the face of the earth, and he knew exactly how to do it too. His evolving plan was too perfect. By the end of the week, Paige Dineen will never be a nuisance again.

He looked at the cloudless sky. It was a beautiful day.

**~ SCORPION ~**

An hour later, Walter was hovering over Paige in the bed, and the woman felt a sense of victory; while she knew Walter was still struggling to emerge from the Rabbit Hole, she knew she was reaching him. Paige barely gave him any time to think about anything other than what they were doing; her hips clung to his, and she refused to stop kissing him, afraid he would relapse if he had time to speak or think a single thought.

The love they made was fiery; nothing about it was slow or sweet, and Paige believed that the way Walter rocked his body with hers at such speed had everything to do with the Rabbit Hole.

And yet, she couldn't complain.

As he stilled inside her, every cell within her body was pulsing in response to the fiery passion they had just shared together.

A soft knock rapped on the door. "Mom?"

Paige froze underneath the man on top of her, but her son's voice didn't faze Walter; her boyfriend's hands started fondling her breasts. "What is it, honey?!" She tried not to let Walter's ministrations distract her. "Oh!" she exclaimed as Walter's fingers kneaded her flesh; she instantly grabbed Walter's fingers and pulled them away from her body as she waited for her son's response.

"Is Walter feeling better?" The boy's voice was quiet, but its concern spoke volumes.

"Some," Paige replied as she pushed Walter off of her and grabbed her robe before throwing the covers over Walter's naked body. Once she was decent enough to present herself, she glanced back at her boyfriend who started mumbling to himself again. She sighed and then opened the door. "He's still under the weather," Paige gave her son a kiss, not aware of her own disoriented features. "But don't worry because I'm taking good care of him."

"Okay," Ralph gave his mother a small smile. "Cabe had a message to deliver to you…," Ralph's voice faded as he looked over his mother's shoulder. "Mom? Why is Walter not wearing anything?" Paige turned around to see what her son was talking about; Walter was frantically looking for the marker again. Then she remembered the word 'message' her son had said – it must have triggered his episode. And after all of that hard work too.

Paige quickly closed the door behind her and gave her son a nervous smile. "Walter accidentally vomited all over his clothes," she lied, "so I was in the middle of helping him change when you came up here."

"Oh." Ralph nodded. "So is that why _you _are wearing a robe as well? Did he get it all over your clothes too?"

"Surrre." Paige decided to go with it. "Now what is Cabe's message, honey?" Anything to keep her son's curiosity from besting him.

"Oh. There's pizza on the counter in the loft. I brought it up here so that you don't have to come all the way down the stairs to get some. I figured you were hungry since you barely ate breakfast." Ralph explained as he pointed towards the loft. "Anyway, Toby and Happy are taking me to the park; they need to clear their heads and thought it would be best if I tag along. Cabe will be coming too so if you need anything," Ralph's eyes met his mother's, "Sylvester is here."

"Thank you, sweetie. Have fun." Paige gave her son a hug.

"Okay!" Ralph beamed before he raced off towards the stairs. Paige sighed when she remembered Walter. She opened the door and gasped. The bedroom was a mess! He was still searching for the marker, and when she walked back into the room, he pulled her robe off of her and started inspecting her again. She sighed. There was no use; she had had sex with him, and he _still _was down the Rabbit Hole.

"You want the marker?"

He nodded; she sighed again.

"Okay, fine." Paige combed her matted hair with her fingers. "I promise I'll fetch it if you get dressed and clean up this room." Paige wasn't going to give Walter a reprieve for being down the Rabbit Hole. He made that mess, he sure as hell was going to clean it up! "The last thing I want is for you to return to your damn whiteboard and have someone find you in your birthday suit."

And to her surprise, Walter obeyed.

**~ SCORPION ~**

The moment Walter slid his shirt over his head, he turned to Paige who had also redressed too. She handed him his tie, but he tossed it towards the bed; he didn't want the tie. He wanted the marker. Paige turned towards the shared dresser and opened up her underwear drawer. She revealed the marker. He snatched it from her hand and raced out of the room, leaving her standing in the bedroom like an idiot.

And she felt like one too.

While it was her intent to lure Walter out of the Rabbit Hole by discreetly forcing him into having sex with her, she was the one, in the end, who felt used. She wondered if Walter had had an actual breakthrough, or if he only slept with her in hopes that he would retrieve the marker.

She walked out of the bedroom and saw Walter at his whiteboard again. Why did she even bother? As she neared him, she saw the pizza sitting on the counter as her son had described. The stench made her stomach churn. Oh no…. She bolted for the bathroom and retched into the toilet for what seemed like the hundredth time that day – and she thought she was doing better too! Another wave of nausea coursed through her. She was disappointed when Walter didn't come to her aid like he had earlier in the day. Minutes later, she flushed the toilet and went to wash her mouth out with mouthwash when she spotted the four tests in the sink.

All four of them were positive.

"This _cannot _be happening."

**~ SCORPION ~**

Paige looked into the mirror and then turned sideways as she lifted her shirt upwards to examine her lower belly. At first glance, she wouldn't have guessed she was pregnant because the small baby bump was easy to miss, but the more she stared at the tiny bulge centered at her navel, the more she was convinced. And the fact that four pregnancy tests screamed positive were more of an indication that she was pregnant…with Walter's child.

She didn't know if she should be happy, mad or feel foolish. She knew she and Walter _should _have taken more precautions, but her pregnant belly was proof that they didn't even _think _about children being a possibility. In truth, she was upset; the timing was horrible. Granted, she knew she wasn't very far along, but if something were to happen to the child growing inside of her because of careless mistakes, she would never forgive herself – and Walter would never forgive her either.

"This is such a mess," Paige muttered as she smoothed out her shirt and left the bathroom, forgetting to throw away the pregnancy tests. She knew she needed to tell Walter, but he wasn't exactly in the right frame of mind to learn that she was carrying his child. She held her breath and threw away the pizza – the less she vomited, the better. She went to the cabinet and pulled out a loaf of bread she knew Walter kept up there in case he ever grew hungry while he was working with Cabe Jr. She knew she needed to eat so she pulled out a piece and nibbled on it.

Then she figured Walter should probably eat too. "Hey," she touched his shoulder. "You need to eat."

He didn't budge.

"Walter," her voice was stern, "If you want to decrypt this stupid encryption, you _need _to keep up your strength! Otherwise, you'll starve yourself to death, and then where will you be?!" She was growing impatient with the man. He didn't move. "Walter O'Brien!" She grabbed the marker, marched to a window, opened it and chucked it outside. "You eat right now, or so help me God, that marker will be the _last _of your problems!" She was tempted to take every last electronic device her boyfriend owned and toss them out the window too. Walter groaned and knocked the bag of bread out of her hand. It was like he was a little child! "That's it!" Paige grabbed Walter's hands and picked up the bag of bread. She dragged him to their bedroom like she did earlier that day and locked the door behind her. "Eat." She tossed the bag of bread at him. He watched it land on the floor and refused to pick it up.

If anything, the Rabbit Hole made Walter more childish, and Paige was beginning to understand the scope of the Rabbit Hole. The other members of Scorpion were making it seem like Walter lost all sense of reality, but she could tell he knew what was going on around him. He responded to her; it could be because she had a different connection to him than the others. She didn't know. All she knew was that the father of her child – she slightly smiled at that thought – was acting like a frantic five year old, and she was growing frustrated with him.

She bent down and pulled a piece of bread out of the bag and tossed the bag onto the bed. She then pushed him backwards and trapped him against the bed with her pelvis resting against his. "Eat, Walter. I can sit here all day," she grinded his hips, showing him she meant business, "and drive you absolutely crazy, or," she frowned, "or you can eat two slices of bread and then return to your stupid encryption." She rocked her pelvis against his again. "So what will it be?"

Walter frowned and muttered something under his breath as he grabbed the slice of bread from Paige and crammed it into his mouth. He chewed and swallowed quickly before grabbing another slice. When the second slice disappeared, Paige smiled and lightly smacked his cheek. "Good boy." As she slid off of him, he surprised her when he grabbed her face and pulled her into a hot, searing kiss. The way Walter was acting was confusing her; he wanted some, he didn't want some. If only he would just make up his mind!

As Walter's fingers slid underneath her shirt and unclasped her bra, his other hand reached below and unbuttoned her jeans. She closed her eyes and forgot how to breathe when she felt his palm slide inside her panties and send tiny electric sparks throughout her body. He flung her shirt and bra off of her, and his foot pushed her pants and underwear down towards her ankles. She shuddered underneath his fiery touch as he twisted her until she was facing the ceiling. One of his hands was massaging her breast, and his other hand was kneading below. She never thought there would ever be a day where Walter would be so forward; hell, she hardly understood _why _he was even acting that way in the first place; the Rabbit Hole was supposed to send him into a world of thought, but here he was, doing crazy things to her body as he continued to place wet kisses on Paige's mouth. As awkward as the situation was, she felt as though she was in heaven.

"Paige!" Sylvester suddenly exclaimed as the door slammed open. "Oh God!"

"Sylvester!" Paige grew bright red as she grabbed as many sheets as she could and threw them on top of her; Walter, like before with Ralph, wasn't fazed. The genius continued to pay a _lot _of attention to Paige's body as the human calculator continued covering his eyes and begging for forgiveness.

He kept his hand over his eyes and said, "Please tell me I didn't just see what I think I saw?!"

Paige struggled free from Walter's arms, but he was a lot stronger than her despite his lanky form. She inhaled a deep breath and changed the subject, hoping to God that Walter won't make her shudder in Sylvester's presence. This was such a mess! And knowing Sylvester, he will never be able to forget what he had seen – _whatever _he had seen. "What is it, Sylvester?"

"Uhhh, I, ummm, I managed to decrypt the message sent to Ralph. It wasn't as detailed as the one sent to Walter so I was able to…," Sylvester blushed, "figure it out without taking the plunge."

Before Paige could answer, Walter muttered, "Message…," and then slid out from underneath Paige, pushed past Sylvester and headed for the loft. Paige groaned. "What did it say, Sylvester?"

"Uh…, in simpler terms," Sylvester switched hands, "Mark Collins wanted Ralph to know that he was coming… that his mother, which is, obviously, you, should be prepared for what's coming for her – erm, for you."

Paige absentmindedly placed her hand on her lower belly. "Send word to the others and tell them to get back here ASAP."

"On it…." Sylvester said as he started to leave. Then he quickly returned, adding, "Be sure to sterilize everything please!" And then he was gone.

Paige ran her hand through her hair; she didn't know what came over her – more importantly, she didn't know what had come over Walter. She must be getting through to him in some manner; otherwise, why would he be wanting her body one minute and returning to his whiteboard the next? She raced towards the door and closed it before realizing her hand was still on her belly. She looked down towards the baby bump and muttered, "Your father is crazy and weird," she smile…, "but I love him anyway."

**~ SCORPION ~**

"So," Toby smirked as Paige walked down the stairs, taking a short break from Mr. Impossible. "I hear Sly walked in on you and Walter doing a little somethin' somethin' a few hours ago."

"No comment," Paige ignored Toby as she went to the kitchen and poured her some much-needed coffee. She was glad the beverage didn't make her run for the bathroom; she was tired of vomiting almost everything she tries to stomach.

"How's Walt doing? He still in Wonderland?" Toby asked as Happy and Cabe approached her. Sylvester stayed at his desk; he was still blushing from what he witnessed earlier. Ralph was minding his own business and playing Proton Arnold.

"Unfortunately yes." Paige frowned. "I can tell we're getting close, but…," she blushed, "things keep getting interrupted."

"Let me know when Walt's awake; otherwise, I'm going to focus my anger on Collins from a distance," Happy said as she whirled around and headed for her desk.

Cabe folded his arms in front of him. "You've got your gun somewhere safe, right?"

Paige nodded. "Yes."

"Okay. I'm gonna take Ralph out for the night in case you and Walter need the extra time to… work things through." Cabe patted Paige's shoulder.

"Okay. Thanks." Paige smiled as Cabe headed for her son. Paige turned towards Toby. "I've got a bizarre question for you, Toby."

"Shoot."

"Well, all right." Paige raked her hand through her hair. "You guys keep telling me Walter enters some sort of intellectual world when he's down the Rabbit Hole, right?"

"Yes. That's usually how it goes." Toby nodded.

"Well, when I'm up there with him, he doesn't seem like's in his own world. Not really, at least. He responds to me whenever I either make him mad or force him into doing things…like eating. He listens to me too. One minute, he's Mr. 197 and wants to solve Mark's problem. The next," she blushed, "he turns all of his focus on me…. It's like he has two versions of the Rabbit Hole. Do you know why that is?"

"Hmmm," Toby took off his hat and placed onto the table next to the empty pizza box, "It could be, since you've started dating Walter, his levels of EQ have increased to the point that when he's in the Rabbit Hole, not everything is completely intellectual to him anymore. I guess it's possible for him to have a Jekyll and Hyde tendency – where he seems Mr. Intellectual at one point, and Dr. Sexy the next; you know, like his IQ and his EQ are duking it out inside his mind. If you keep reaching his EQ, I have a feeling he'll eventually come to. He has to…. It's Walter, we're talking about."

"And you think sex will help him?" Paige lifted an eyebrow and frowned, "Because it hasn't yet."

Toby thought for a moment. "When you said you were making progress the first time…. What did you say to him?"

"Well, I mentioned something about Ralph…. Telling him about the letter Collins sent to him." Paige looked upward as she recalled the memory. "Then I told Walter that he wouldn't want Mark Collins to harm Ralph because Ralph was like a son to him. Walter," Paige smiled, "responded to the word 'son.'"

Toby smirked. "I think I know what you can do to bring Walter back."

"What?"

"You tell him you're pregnant." Toby deadpanned quietly. Paige balked. "Puh-lease. When you started talking about Walter, you rested your hand over your lower abdomen; I'm assuming you finally saw the tests, yes?" Paige gave him a slight nod. The horse was out of the barn now. "Thought so. That being said, you _need _to tell him. He is highly protective over Ralph, and he responded to the word, 'son,' when you were talking about him. If you tell him about Walt Jr.," Toby eyed her lower belly, "I'm sure he _will _come out of it, Paige. I may not know this from experience, but I'm pretty sure you do." Toby looked over towards Ralph who was getting ready to leave with Cabe, "There's nothing stronger than a bond between parent and child. So put your booty to the duty and get your pretty self up there and tell Walter his seed has blossomed inside of you."

Paige gave Toby a small smile. "Okay." Paige headed for the stairs when Ralph ran up to her and gave her a hug. "Bye, sweetie. Be safe, okay?"

"I will," Ralph grinned. "I've got Cabe with me."

"Yes, yes you do." Paige laughed and ruffled his hair.

"Take care of Walter, okay?"

"I will." Paige kissed her son's forehead. The boy hugged her once more and then ran off towards Cabe. "Take care of my kid for me."

"Don't worry," Cabe waved. "I will."

As the two left the garage, Paige ascended the stairs. When she reached the loft, she walked up to Walter who was writing more nonsense on the board with a new marker. She reached over to take his hand in hers when her phone rang. She didn't recognize the number. She opted not to answer it, but in the event that it was an emergency, she did anyway. She took a few steps away from her boyfriend as she placed the phone to her ear. "Hello?"

"_If you value human life, find a secluded room; if you fail to comply, another death will be on your hands, Paige Dineen." _

Paige wasn't going to take any chances and raced to the bedroom, closing the door behind her. "What do you want?"

"_You are going to do exactly as I say, Paige Dineen." _

"And if I don't?" Paige's voice wavered.

"_I know you're pregnant with Walter's child, Paige Dineen." _

**~ SCORPION ~**

* * *

**WriterFreak001: **

Dun dun dunnnnnn…..

I had a blast writing this chapter! :) I hope it wasn't too steamy for you.

Let me know what you think will happen next! :D

PS. I know some of you didn't want Paige to be pregnant, but let's face it, unplanned pregnancies happen all the time.


	15. Chapter 15

**WriterFreak001: **

So I am currently on my way home from Florida and am typing this puppy in the car while my dad is driving. I didn't have time to post last night because I was busy catching up with some of my CW shows. Hee Hee. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter as much as I will enjoy writing it! :D

Also, a reader was worried that I will have Mark Collins kill off Walter, Paige and/or unborn baby. I promise you that will not happen. I hate reading stories regarding major character deaths so I will never write them. It wouldn't make sense to kill off a character that's still alive on the show (well at least a "good guy" character). With villains, hee hee, it's free reign. MUAHAHAHA.

* * *

**Title** | Mind Games

**Fandom** | _Scorpion_ (CBS)

**Description** | Post-Deception. Four months passed since the ending of "Deception," and it seemed as though life, for the most part, returned to normal for Team Scorpion. Walter and Paige were given a chance to focus on their relationship in the midst of all of the cases that were assigned to the team. However, eventually, all great things must end, and once again, Team Scorpion will have to deal with an even bigger opponent than the Leviathan Mafia. Mark Collins is back for revenge and will have something big in store for Walter – something even the 197 IQ genius might not be able to see coming. And Collins's return just might cause a rift within the Scorpion family in the process, making it next to impossible for them to beat his ultimate game.

**Rating**| This fanfiction will be rated T for violence, obscene language, sexual themes as well as brain stuff and fluff.

**POV** | Limited Third Person

**Disclaimer** | While CBS owns _**Scorpion**_, I am the owner of this masterpiece.

**Claimer** | I am human; there are bound to be mistakes. If you feel like something _should_ be changed, you have the power to send me a review/private message. I can't guarantee if I'll change it every time, but I do read all of my reviews and all of my private messages!

* * *

**WARNING: **

**Readers' Discretion is advised. Obscene language in this chapter.**

* * *

**Mind Games**

**Sequel to**_** Deception**_

**Written by WriterFreak001**

**Chapter 15**

**~ S****CORPION ~**

"_I know you're pregnant with Walter's child, Paige Dineen." _

_..._

Paige froze as Mark Collins's words slithered into her ear. "I d-don't know," her heart dropped, "I don't know what you're t-talking about."

"_Oh, I think you do." _Mark snickered and then lowered his voice as if he was standing right next to her and didn't want others to hear him speak. _"And if you don't comply, I __**will **__find you and then I will drive my favorite switchblade into your stomach, giving your infant an immediate death and you a slow one." _

Paige closed her eyes and swallowed the lump in her throat. "F-Fine," she wanted to cry but couldn't, "W-what do you w-want?" Anything to protect the baby growing in her belly.

She could imagine a menacing grin forming on Mark Collins's face as she agreed to comply with whatever terms he had in store for her. _"You are going to leave Scorpion effectively and immediately. I don't care what excuse you have to tell the other members of the team, but if I don't see you leaving the garage in ten minutes," _he chuckled, _"Well, you don't have to be a genius to figure that one out." _

She placed her palm protectively over her lower abdomen. "I'll do whatever you want; just not that," she begged. "I can't leave my son." _Or Walter_.

"_You __**will **__leave your son, and you __**will **__leave permanently. Intellectual inferiors are all the same; they can't __**stimulate **__their superiors for too long. It'll only be a matter of time before you leave Scorpion so spare your son and your lover the misery and leave. You're only hindering their potentials. You're like a festering wound that won't go away. So do them the favor and disappear. Even if you don't grow tired of them, they'll certainly grow tired of you. How many times has Walter cut you off or heave a loud and an obnoxious sigh whenever you ask him to explain something more thoroughly? How many times has he cut you off or choose to spend more time with your son than with you?" _

Paige knew Walter did those things _sometimes_, but that was just whom he was. She couldn't change the way he thought or the way he functioned, but – even though she would never admit it to Mark Collins – there were times she _did _feel a little left out. However, those times were short-lived and didn't happen very often. They never really bothered her, but what if Mark Collins was right? What if those feelings of loneliness she had at times were just the beginning? What if – No! She shook her head. She was letting Mark Collins get to her, and she couldn't let that happen. Not again. Walter and Ralph both loved her; they loved her in their own way. She had once accepted the fact that she wasn't like Walter and Ralph, and that acceptation came with highs and lows. What relationship didn't? "You're wrong," Paige muttered as she sat down at the foot of the bed, "Walter and Ralph and the rest of the team have accepted me for who I am…. Sure, there are issues sometimes, but what family doesn't have issues?"

"_Do you __**honestly **__think they see you as family? With Ralph, sure. He is one of them – one of __**us**__. You're just a tagalong. They can't mentor Ralph without your involvement – you __**are **__the boy's mother after all. But trust me, if you weren't a factor in the boy's life, they would mentor him without you in a heartbeat. You think Ralph needs school; they don't. They all hated school, and they all know Ralph is far above his peers. You are hurting the boy's chances of success by forcing him to go to a school that doesn't nurture his intellect. You are doing far worse by the boy than any good. So why stay? Why not spare your son the luxury of putting up with your inferiority? The only reason Walter __**really **__keeps you around is so he can fuck you whenever he wants. How many nights have the two of you gone without having sex? Why else would he climb out of the Rabbit Hole just long enough to use your body as a means to satisfy his sexual frustration? You are nothing but a sexual tool for Walter O'Brien – that's all you'll ever be useful for. He needs his sexual release, and you're a willing candidate. Don't believe me?" _Mark laughed, _"Then how many times does he __**actually **__appreciate your body? Does he do __**anything **__to you other than fuck you senselessly?" _

Paige wasn't going to let Mark Collins tell her what her sex life is like. Sure, Walter wasn't one for kinky sexual acts, but that had _nothing _to do with him not loving her. Walter was a very practical man, and while he _had _gotten more romantic over the last several months since they started sleeping together, she knew he wasn't sexually stimulated in the same way as most men were. Walter O'Brien was a very different man, and she had accepted all of whom he was. So no! She wasn't going to let Mark Collins twist the relationship she had with Walter merely to scare her into leaving her family. "You have _no right _to speak to me like that," Paige was growing angry; she was not going to put up with this man any longer. "Your mind games have no effect over me. I know what my relationship with my son and Walter is like, and I'm not going to let _you _define my life for me! I won't leave!"

"_Are you going to risk the life of your unborn child for the sake of family? And what about your son? What if I told you I know __**exactly **__where he's going with that impudent agent from Homeland? What is more important to you, Paige Dineen? The safety of your family? Your son? Your unborn child? Or, your desires to stay with your baby daddy and continue saving the world from absolute damnation? Because, let me share with you some facts. If you decide to stay and continue festering within the walls of Scorpion, I __**will **__return with a vengeance, and I will start with your son, Ralph. You and Walter can watch him die by my hands, and when I'm done with him, I will go after your unborn child; thus killing two birds with – well, you know how that saying usually goes. And then Walter O'Brien will suffer for the rest of his life, knowing he couldn't save you when you, his unborn child and Ralph needed him the most. So, tell me, Paige Dineen. On what, are you willing to gamble?" _

Paige blinked back the tears threatening to spill from her eyes; her bottom lip quivered as Mark Collins's words pierced her heart; he knew she would do anything to keep the people she loved safe from harm, and she knew he knew she wouldn't be able to call Mark Collins on his bluff. She couldn't make those risks. She closed her eyes and felt a single tear fall down her cheek. "Pr-promise me," she felt nauseous, "pr-promise me no harm will come to m-my son…n-nor to Walter o-or the rest of the t-team."

"_If you leave Scorpion,"_ Collins's voice was radiating with success, _"I promise to refrain from harming your so-called family. However, if you return or give anyone any indication as to why you left, I won't hesitate to go back on my word." _

Paige inhaled a slow, shallow breath and let it out slowly as she tried to keep herself from having an emotional breakdown. "And what about m-my baby?"

"_Fiiiine," _Mark scoffed. By the tone of his voice, she could imagine Mark Collins rolling his eyes in response to her request, _"I guess I can promise that too." _

"S-so I have your w-word?"

"_Yes. Yes. You have my word." _

"O-okay," Paige whimpered; she felt as though her heart had just shattered into a million of pieces. "Th-then you have m-mine."

"_See? That wasn't so hard, was it?" _Collins laughed; his icy words smacked her in the face. _"You have ten minutes to comply." _

When the call ended, Paige buried her face into her hands, wanting to scream until her throat burned. She wanted to grab the nearest breakable object and smash it against a hardened surface; emanating Walter didn't seem like such a bad idea to her. She slowly pushed herself to her feet. She didn't know how Mark Collins found out about her pregnancy, and it scared her, knowing that he was somehow watching her every move. She couldn't leave a note without fearing the possibility that Mark would find out about it. This was such a mess. She knew that the moment she left the garage, everything was fair game for Mark Collins; for all she knew, he would kill her right then and there. Regardless of what Mark Collins wanted, she _had _to say goodbye to Walter. She wouldn't leave unless she could tell _someone _goodbye. She first needed to text Ralph, though. Someday, she hoped he would understand her sacrifice.

With shaky hands, she sent her son a message in shorthand, saying how much she loved him and hoped he was having a good time with Cabe. If Mark Collins was monitoring her phone, she couldn't send out a direct SOS, but she hoped Ralph would be able to figure things out and find a way to help her. If Walter couldn't wake up from the Rabbit Hole, her son was her only saving grace.

Then she received a text from an unknown number. _**Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock**_**. **

Paige tossed her phone towards the door of the bathroom out of frustration, and it shattered upon impact. She didn't even try to see if it could be salvaged. Slowly, she walked out of the bedroom and found Walter still writing at his whiteboard. "W-Walter." Her voice cracked as she spoke his name. She hugged him tightly from behind, and he froze in response to her sudden touch. "Walter," she muttered his name, She couldn't bring herself to tell him she loved him; she didn't want it to be the last time she would ever see him, and so she couldn't tell him. She couldn't say goodbye either. She turned away from him and headed for the stairs, when he grabbed her wrist, yanked her back to him and kissed her hard on the mouth. Even though she knew he was still down the Rabbit Hole, she kissed him as hard as he kissed her. As much as she tried keeping her tears from falling, they fell in rivers down her cheeks while she desperately clung her lips to Walter's. When he started to pull at her shirt and glide it off of her body, it broke her heart to rip herself away from him, but she couldn't let things go too far; her ten minutes were almost up. "I'm s-sorry," she apologized and kissed him once more before stepping away from him. She turned towards the stairs and dried her tears as she descended them. She headed for the door, hoping no one would notice. Because Happy, Toby and Sylvester were so focused on tracking Mark Collin's whereabouts, she was grateful they didn't notice her leaving the building. She didn't think she could bring herself to speak if either one of them asked her where she was going.

She hated every cell in her body for agreeing to Mark Collins's terms, but what choice did she have? That man was a psycho; he would be willing to do _anything _to get what he wanted – even if that meant more bloodshed.

As she turned the corner, she stopped dead in her tracks as a figure stood in front of her with a menacing grin on his face. "Hello Paige Dineen. Long time, no see." Paige pivoted on her toes and darted for the other direction, but Mark grabbed her hair and yanked her backwards. She fell and smacked her head against the cement, and before she could cry out in pain, her world faded into darkness.

**~ SCORPION ~**

"What is it, Ralph?" Cabe asked as the boy stopped walking and stared at his phone. "Is something wrong?"

"My mom…," Ralph felt sick to his stomach. "She sent me a weird message."

"What does it say?"

"It's shorthand…. Mom never texts in shorthand." Ralph swallowed the lump in his throat.

"Are you sure?"

He nodded. "I can't interpret shorthand; my brain's not wired like that."

"Then why do you think she sent you something you can't read?" Cabe asked as he read Paige's text message over Ralph's shoulder. _**Luv u so much. Hv fun w/ Cabe. **_"'Love you so much,'" Cabe read aloud, "'Have fun with Cabe.' Nothing seems out of the ordinary, Ralph." Cabe shrugged.

Ralph pressed his lips together and gulped loudly. "I think it's an SOS."

"Say no more kid." Cabe picked the boy up into his arms, turned around and darted for the squad car. "Call Toby from the car; ask him if he's noticed anything strange."

"Okay."

**~ SCORPION ~**

Walter didn't understand what was going on. He was down the Rabbit Hole again, but it was different. Unlike his previous visits down the Rabbit Hole, he wasn't submerged into an entire world of thought. At least not completely. There would be long minutes where he was trying to decipher an encryption, and those moments of pure intellect brought Walter solitude – a sense of comfort. And yet, he would find himself being guided away from the mathematical sequence by a heavenly voice; the more he heard _her _voice, he craved more for _her _and not for the algorithms and encryptions. There were times where he fantasized about her, longing to touch her, kiss her, hold her. And in his dreams, he never wanted to let her go.

Fantasy or Reality, he knew Paige was his guided light; she kept him from losing sight of himself, and while the heavily encrypted data sometimes drew him away from her, he always found his way back. He was aware that the Rabbit Hole was different this time – much more different because of Paige. Because of her influence, he was able to grasp onto her and emerge from the darkness long enough to breathe some fresh air. And in his dream, as she made love to him, he desperately wanted to speak, but the pull of the Rabbit Hole wouldn't let him.

But the most recent dream he had of Paige was the weirdest of all; she was reluctant instead of willing. He wanted to show her how much he _wanted _to escape – how much he wanted to be free of the Rabbit Hole's lure – but she refused him. She was crying. And she kissed him again before running away. He didn't understand, but he wanted to. He wanted to know why she was crying, but he couldn't reach her. He couldn't chase after her.

"Walter!" A voice called out to him. It wasn't Paige's. "Walter O'Brien, snap out of it right now!" He recognized the owner of that voice; he recognized the owner's face, but he couldn't put a name to him. "Paige needs you, for crying out loud!"

He heard his voice mutter her name, but he didn't realize _he _was the one speaking.

"Yes. Paige. Now come on!" A hand grabbed his wrist and started pulling him away from his whiteboard. "Come on!" The voice grew more frustrated; he struggled to free himself from the voice's grasp. He was being dragged away from his whiteboard; the marker was knocked out of his hand. He heard grunting – harsh grunting. "Paige is in trouble, Walt!"

Walter froze.

Paige….

Trouble….

The voice pulled his arm harder, yanking him towards his bedroom. This dream was getting weirder by the minute. He continued to struggle, but the voice wouldn't give up. The voice pointed to a broken phone. Walter recognized that phone…. It was the phone he had given Paige when she started working for his company. Why was it broken? He looked at it; he reached down to pick it up. It wasn't dropped; it was thrown. But who threw it? Paige? Someone else? "There's something you need to see…." The voice shook him away from this thoughts and pulled him into the bathroom.

The light was turned on. The voice gestured towards the sink. He looked down into the sink. He saw four odd devices with plus signs on them. He studied those devices and tried to make meaning of them. They weren't thermometers, but they were shaped like one. He didn't understand what the voice was trying to show him. Was someone sick? Sick…. He remembered Paige was sick…. She was vomiting. A lot. Was that why the voice said she was in trouble?

The voice picked a cardboard box out of the trash and shoved it in front of him. Walter read the first word. _Pregnancy_. He found himself scrutinizing the box, reading every single detail on it. He flipped the box over and read through the directions. He spotted the diagram for results. He glanced at the four devices in the sink; they resembled the image of the device on the box. He determined they were one and the same. He read the logo on the box again. _Pregnancy Tests_. Those devices in the sink were pregnancy tests? He looked at the four tests again. Positive. Positive. Positive. Positive. He scanned the diagram again. _Positive = Pregnant_. _Negative = Not Pregnant. _

He recalled reading a passage from a medical book….

_Symptoms of pregnancy include tender, swollen breasts…, nausea with or without vomiting…, increased urination…, fatigue…, food aversions or cravings…, slight bleeding…, cramping…, mood swings…, dizziness… and constipation. _

Paige had experienced nausea, and if he remembered correctly, she had been dizzy too. He looked at the tests again; aside from him, Paige was the only person who used his bathroom. Happy wouldn't dare leave something personal inside his sink. Walter saw the positive symbols again. He glanced at Toby and then at the tests again. He blinked a few times. "P-Paige…," he mumbled, "Paige is pr-pregnant…." He looked at Toby again. "Paige is pregnant?"

**~ SCORPION ~**

* * *

**WriterFreak001: **

Yes…. Another cliffhanger. MUAHAHAHAHA

Now that Walt is out of the Rabbit Hole, what do you think will happen next? Will Collins keep his promise to Paige?

Again, I apologize to those of you who are sensitive to curse words. I'm not comfortable with them either, but I find them crucial to Collins's character.

Let me know what you think!


	16. Chapter 16

**WriterFreak001: **

Nothing new other than the fact that the next episode of SCORPION is on tomorrow! :) I can't freakin' wait! :D

* * *

**Title** | Mind Games

**Fandom** | _Scorpion_ (CBS)

**Description** | Post-Deception. Four months passed since the ending of "Deception," and it seemed as though life, for the most part, returned to normal for Team Scorpion. Walter and Paige were given a chance to focus on their relationship in the midst of all of the cases that were assigned to the team. However, eventually, all great things must end, and once again, Team Scorpion will have to deal with an even bigger opponent than the Leviathan Mafia. Mark Collins is back for revenge and will have something big in store for Walter – something even the 197 IQ genius might not be able to see coming. And Collins's return just might cause a rift within the Scorpion family in the process, making it next to impossible for them to beat his ultimate game.

**Rating**| This fanfiction will be rated T for violence, obscene language, sexual themes as well as brain stuff and fluff.

**POV** | Limited Third Person

**Disclaimer** | While CBS owns _**Scorpion**_, I am the owner of this masterpiece.

**Claimer** | I am human; there are bound to be mistakes. If you feel like something _should_ be changed, you have the power to send me a review/private message. I can't guarantee if I'll change it every time, but I do read all of my reviews and all of my private messages!

* * *

**WARNING: **

**Readers' Discretion is advised. Obscene language in this chapter.**

* * *

**Mind Games**

**Sequel to**_** Deception**_

**Written by WriterFreak001**

**Chapter 16**

**~ S****CORPION ~**

Before Toby could respond, Walter nearly stumbled out of the bathroom as he raked his hands through his curly hair and shook his head violently. "No. No. No. No. No. Paige _c-cannot _be pr-pregnant! That's n-not… that's not p-possible!"

"Welcome back to Planet Earth, Einstein." Toby leaned against the doorframe of the bathroom, "It's _uncanny_ how the _both _of you responded the _same _way after learning about the pregnancy."

Walter stared at the floor and rested his elbows on his knees after sitting down on the foot of his bed; his hands were still clutching his hair. "Th-there's g-gotta be a m-mistake. F-False positives;" Walter looked at Toby with frustrated eyes, "that happens right?"

Toby lifted an eyebrow. "Four consecutive false positives in a row? I don't think so." Toby shrugged, "I don't think it's a coincidence that she woke up with some stomach bug this morning, Walt. The proof is in the pudding – or shall I say, 'vomit?'" Toby chuckled as he pushed himself forward and walked over to Walter. He stood in front of the 197 IQ genius and folded his arms in front of him. "Face it, Walter. Paige is pregnant with _your _child, and if we don't find her, _both _Paige and Waige Junior – or would it be Palter? No. No. I like the sound of Waige better – anyway," Toby frowned, "I think you're smart enough to know what could happen if we don't find Paige soon."

Walter's eyes shot open as he remembered Paige's broken phone. He pulled it out of his pocket and stared at it. Paige was pregnant with _his _child, and she was in trouble. He pulled an unscathed chip out of the wreckage and clamped it into his hand. He realized the dream he had of Paige crying and pulling away from him might have not been a dream after all. He rose to his feet and heaved a heavy sigh. "Not a word about Paige's condition to anyone." He decided to accept the fact that Paige was pregnant; he could not refute corroborating evidence. Toby was right; the odds of having four false positives were infinitesimal. He closed his eyes and ran his hand through his hair again. "What do we know so far?"

"Ralph and Cabe are on their way back from their little outing – Cabe thought it would be a good idea to keep Ralph busy and not have him discover you in your condition when you were down the Rabbit Hole. Anyway," Toby spoke as he followed Walter towards the loft, "Ralph called because he received a weird text from Paige. He can explain the details further when he arrives. We did try tracing her phone, but there was no ping – now I know why."

After Walter and Toby descended the stairs, everyone snapped their heads in Walter's direction. Sylvester smiled, Happy merely glanced at him and then returned to her work. Walter ignored his greetings and said, "Somehow Mark Collins infiltrated our frequency transmitter; has there been any delivery within the last twenty-four hours in which Mark could have had access to any time before its arrival?"

"Well," Toby rubbed his chin, "We _did _order pizza for lunch." Walter circled around the stairs and entered the kitchen; there was a pizza box sitting on the counter waiting to be recycled. Everyone followed Walter and watched as he opened the box. Nothing. He closed it and examined the sides and then the bottom. Still nothing. "Come to think of it," Toby folded his arms against his chest, "Just before the pizza guy left, he 'dropped' something." Toby looked towards the front door of the garage, "I _thought _he seemed a bit sketchy. The more I think about it, the more I am convinced that Collins got to him somehow."

Walter briskly walked towards the front door and scanned the area. He spotted a small, dark blue bag underneath the metal chair to the right of the door. After he reached down to pick it up, he unzipped the bag and pulled out a small device and presented it to everyone.

Suddenly, Cabe and Ralph walked through the door. Ralph immediately went to Walter's side and Cabe circled around the group and stood between Happy and Sylvester. Walter ruffled the boy's hair to keep himself distracted from the urge to punch a wall.

"What is that?" Sylvester asked as everyone returned their attentions to the device. "It looks like a small walkie-talkie."

"It's not," Cabe took off his sunglasses, "It's a baby monitor."

"Can I have a sec, Walter?" Toby muttered before pulling the 197 IQ genius away from the group without waiting for his response. When they were out of earshot, Toby mumbled, "You think it's a coincidence that Mark would choose a baby monitor of all things to screw up our transmitter?"

"I don't know," Walter had wondered that too. What if Collins found out about the pregnancy? If he had threatened their unborn child in any way, it would be quite the incentive to send Paige away from the garage.

"Perhaps it's best to tell everyone."

"No." Walter shook his head and didn't have anything more to discuss so he rejoined the group with Toby in tow. Walter turned off the baby monitor and raked his hand through his hair. "Mark figured out we were transmitting high-pitched radio frequencies from the garage and must have been waiting for the perfect opportunity to sneak this baby monitor inside our office. He most likely paid the pizza guy off."

"Baby monitors are designed to stay on for an average of six hours after being charged; not only would the baby monitor's frequency interfere with our frequency transmitter, but it would give Collins a reasonable window of time to listen in on our conversations and figure out how to strike next." Happy frowned and slammed her fist against her desk. "So if Collins got to Paige, he most likely found something juicy and used it to lure her out of the garage."

"B-but what could he have found out?" Sylvester wiped his sweaty hands on his shirt, "I mean, what sort of information would convince Paige to leave Scorpion unprotected? She knew she wasn't allowed to leave the garage without one of us – and what about the gun she registered for?" Sylvester gulped, "W-why not t-take it with her?"

"As weird as this sounds," Cabe patted Walter's back as if he were trying to calm the genius down. It wasn't helping. "I think it was smart for Paige to leave unarmed. We don't know what sorts of weapons Mark Collins has in his possession. Mark Collins is a smart cookie - he'll do anything he can to keep himself from being incriminated for the crimes he has committed; had Paige brought her sidearm, it would be too easy for Mark Collins to cover things up with suicide." Cabe then looked at Walter who looked like he was going to explode; Ralph was slightly trembling with fear. "Theories aside, we're going to get him, and we'll save Paige too."

"H-how do we e-even know Mark has her?" Sylvester stammered as he made eye contact with Walter.

"We're about to find out," Happy suddenly raced her to her desk. She tapped on several keys and streamed her screen onto the TV screen for everyone to see her desktop. "I've hacked into the security camera from across the street; if Paige left the garage and was encountered by Mark Collins, the feed would have picked it up. Ralph, what time was the text sent?"

Ralph pulled out his phone and examined the screen. Walter looked over Ralph's shoulder and skimmed over the text message; he couldn't make sense of the message – understanding shorthand was never one of his strengths. And he knew it wouldn't be Ralph's either – especially since their brains were wired in the same way. "4:38 PM."

"Okay. I'll start the feed around 4:35." Everyone kept their attention towards the timestamp. "There's Paige!" Happy exclaimed as she played the feed. Paige was slowly walking out of the garage and had turned the corner. Luckily the camera angle was able to capture the garage at both angles. Sylvester quietly walked over towards Ralph and covered the boy's eyes; Ralph objected, but Walter thought it was a good idea too so the young genius calmed down and heaved a loud sigh. Paige suddenly stopped and then turned quickly around. When Walter saw a figure grab her hair and yank her downward, he nearly lost it.

"That has to be Collins!" Walter walked up to the monitor and pointed to the fuzzy figure on the screen.

"Well, now that we have proof that Mark Collins abducted Paige, I can call it in." Cabe said as he pulled out his phone. Toby, however stopped him. "What's the meaning of this, doc?"

"Paige might be safer if we leave the shields out of it." Toby looked at Walter and then back at Cabe. "Think about it, Mark Collins specializes in radio chatter; if we have an APB out on him, he'll find out, and then he'll change tactics. Everything is personal to Mark Collins; so maybe it's time we give him the attention he deserves."

"What're you saying, doc? Let him back on the team?" Happy wasn't convinced. Neither was Walter nor Sylvester.

"No. Of course not. What we need to do is make Mark think he's winning the game. Remember, everything is just a game to him. He needs to feel like he's winning; every time we get closer to him, he ups his game; he's not going to stop increasing the challenge until he's satisfied with his results. That being said, I think we should let him think Walter's still down the Rabbit Hole. He's been too busy apprehending Paige to probably realize Walt's out of hibernation – that might give us an advantage."

Walter frowned and rested his palm on Ralph's shoulder. "That's not an option."

"It might be the _only _option, Walt." Toby challenged the 197 IQ genius as Sylvester lead Ralph away from the discussion. "Mark Collins has one big fat god complex on his shoulders, and his compulsive behavior thirsts for success. We need him to think he's won. If he thinks you're still a babbling veggie-head, he'll get cocky pretty quickly. He'll think he has won the game."

"No." Walter shook his head. "Paige's life is at stake here. I won't do it."

"Walt-"

"I said I'm not doing it! That's final!" Walter through his hands up into the air. "You know there's more at risk than just Paige's life, Toby." Walter gave the shrink a warning glare. "I've made up my mind."

"Walt's right, doc." Happy circled around her desk and placed her palm on Toby's shoulder. "If we let Mark believe he's won the game, he might not see a use for Paige anymore. We need to find a way to make him keep thinking he needs Paige alive for his stupid schemes. Think about it, what does Collins want more than anything?"

"A spot on the team," Toby shrugged.

"Think again." Happy stated quickly.

Toby frowned and ran his hand through his hair. "He's made it clear he wants Paige out of the picture." Then his eyes popped open. "And what better way to take out two birds with one stone than to kill her in front of Walter?!" Walter's ears perked to Toby's response. "Think about it! Mark wants nothing more than to prove to Walter he's worthy of the team, and since he hasn't been able to do that accurately – hence the nuclear power plant debacle – he probably wants to permanently send Walter down the Rabbit Hole. Paige is no doubt Walter's strongest emotional connection in his life, excluding his sister, of course.

"If Collins removes Walter's strongest emotional connection in front of him, it will most certainly send Walter into a permanent catatonic state. His EQ will overdrive to a point where Walt won't be able to compute anything going on inside his mind." Toby then looked at Walter, "Your brain, as you know, cannot comprehend EQ very well. Sending your brain on an extreme overdrive of EQ will be like sending you the ultimate Rabbit Hole inducer. You think those encryptions Mark sent were challenging to crack, but since you can't apprehend EQ, your highly inclined IQ will try to make sense of something you're not equipped for. Think of it as a hamster running on a hamster wheel but doesn't know how to get off of it. He'll keep running and running and running until he eventually shuts down from fatigue. In this case, your mind will keep running until your _body _shuts down. _That _is what Mark Collins must be aiming for."

Walter closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Then let's make sure Mark's plan never comes to that scenario." Without another word, Walter pushed past Toby and headed for his desk. He sat down and heaved a loud sigh, remembering the microchip he found amongst Paige's damaged phone. Cabe walked up to him and folded his arms in front of his chest. Walter looked up to meet the stern man's gaze. "What?"

"Like to tell me what's going on?" Cabe lifted an eyebrow and tapped his foot. "I know you just returned from Wonderland, and I also know Mark Collins has kidnapped your girlfriend, but you seem to be emitting a lot more EQ today than usual. I don't know if it's because of Paige's capture, or if it's something else, but I couldn't help but notice how agitated you seem."

"I'm fine." Walter deadpanned as he turned on his computer.

"If everything's fine, why did you tell Toby there's more at stake than Paige's life a few minutes ago?" Leave it to the agent to pick up on subtle clues during an intense conversation. "What do you and the doc know that I don't."

"It's nothing," Walter tried to brush it off. The fewer people who know, the better.

"Son," Cabe circled around Walter's desk and rested his hand on the genius's shoulder. "Clearly it's not nothing, and _clearly_, you are bothered by something more than just your girlfriend's disappearance. You're usually good at keeping your emotions at bay and focusing on your job; that hardly seems to be the case today. Either you're going to tell me what's going on, or I'll force it out of the doc. Secrets don't hold well over me, and if whatever bit of information you're hiding is prudent to the case, I need to know about it." Walter propped his elbows on his desk and buried his hair within his hands. He stared at the wood in front of him and inhaled a deep breath of air before exhaling it slowly. "What's going on, Walter?" Walter knew there was no point in hiding the truth from Cabe. The agent would figure it out eventually, and he wouldn't put it past the man to resort to drastic measures in order to pull the information out of Toby. He spoke softly. "Come again?" Walter heaved another sigh and lifted his head from his hands. He stared at his computer and muttered his answer once more. "Son, I can't hear a damn thing you're sayin'. Speak up!"

Walter rose to his feet and slammed his fists against his desk as he shouted, "I said Paige is pregnant, dammit!" Five pairs of eyes locked in on him. He immediately scratched his ear, clammed up, grabbed his laptop and anything he might need for his analysis of the microchip and scrambled to his bedroom without saying another word.

**~ SCORPION ~**

Paige groaned as her eyes fluttered open to a dark room. She pressed her cuffed hands against the side of her forehead; it was warm and sticky, and it burned like crazy. Her ankles were cuffed to the chair on which she was sitting. She remembered seeing Mark Collins down the alley, and she remembered turning to run away from him. She felt the forceful tug as he grabbed her hair and forced her downward. The memory of smacking her head against the concrete made her wince. Then, panic arose within her, and she immediately placed her palm against her lower abdomen, praying nothing had happened to her baby.

"You can relax," a familiar, unwanted voice echoed from behind her. She was afraid to turn around. "Your growing goblin is still intact…. For now at least."

"W-what do you w-want with…," Paige found herself saying with a dry, shaky voice, "w-with me?"

"Don't worry," Mark chuckled; she could feel his breath slithering down the back of her neck. She froze when his large, clammy palms wrapped around her throat. "You'll find out, soon enough." Paige inhaled short breaths and tried her hardest to hide her fear. Mark chuckled. "I can see why Walter would be attracted to you; you have soft skin. He's a sucker for soft skin, Paige. You're just one of his targets – you fit the profile perfectly. Smooth skin, plump lips, soft brown hair…. You're quite the package deal, aren't you?"

She closed her eyes and reminded herself that Mark Collins was nothing but a container for lies and mind games. She swallowed the lump in her throat. "G-get away from me!"

"It would be _so _easy for me to end your life right here and now. All I would have to do is squeeze hard enough and watch the magic happen." Paige felt the man's breath scrape against her ear as he brought his lips closer. "It _is _tempting, you know? To end your misery right now while it literally lies within the palms of my hands." His hands traveled to her upper arms. "But," he squeezed her arms as hard as he could. She clenched her teeth. "But I am one for challenges, Paige Dineen. I _know _Walter O'Brien will do whatever he has to in order to find you and bring you home safely – even if it means breaking the law. I'll give him a few days and allow his desperation to fester, and when he least expects it, I _will _contact him and give him an ultimatum he won't be able to refuse. And right after I have him in my grasp, I will kill you and your unborn child right in front of him. He will spiral into a world of darkness – a world far worse than the Rabbit Hole. When Walter was in the Rabbit Hole, he could function to an extent. However, when I'm through with him, the effects will be permanent, and the team will have no choice but to send him to a mental facility. And with time, he will gradually deplete and will be rendered useless to the world."

Paige's heart fell as Mark Collins delivered his plan to her; she had a way to persuade him to reconsider. She gulped and muttered, "Y-you're r-right…." It pained her to lie about her relationship with Walter, but if she could save him, she would. "I'm n-nothing but a p-pastime f-for Walter…. I kn-know that…. I've a-always known that…," she closed her eyes and released a deep breath of air she didn't' know she had been holding. "H-he sees n-nothing in me…, and i-it's time I m-move on. Let me g-go, and I w-will never return to Scorpion. Let me go, and I promise the w-walk the other way." She blinked back her tears. "I pr-promise."

Mark laughed and then screamed, "SHUT UP!" as he smacked her cheek as hard as he could. She tried her hardest not to cry as she bit her lip and waited for another strike. It did not come. "Don't insult me, you filthy bitch! This is _my _game, and _you're _going to play by _my _fucking rules!" He dragged his feet as he circled around her and knocked various items onto the floor. Then he came up behind her and forcibly gagged her mouth with taut material; Paige felt like the corners of her lips were being cut with wire as the material painfully pulled her lips back. He grabbed her face with one of his hands and dug his fingers into her skin. "If you value the life of your fucking fetus, I suggest you be a good little girl and do as I say. Are we clear?" Paige felt sick to her stomach but didn't answer Mark Collins's question. He tightened his grip on her face and pulled out a switchblade. He clicked it open and pressed the dull side of the blade against her belly. "ARE WE CLEAR?!" She immediately nodded as tears spilled from her eyes. "Good." He moved away from her and started walking away when he stopped dead in his tracks, turned around, circled around her and then tied another taut strand of material over her eyes. "There."

He walked away….

A door slammed shut….

She was alone in darkness….

And she was frightened.

**~ SCORPION ~**

Walter marched into the small kitchen of the loft, grabbed the nearest coffee mug and hurled it at the wall. It shattered into several pieces. He reached for another. And another. Even though breaking things usually helped him calm down, it didn't seem to help this time. His emotions were everywhere, and the fact that Paige was lured into one of Mark's traps while he was in the Rabbit Hole angered him to no end. He promised himself he would never go back down there, but once again, Mark Collins bested him. He didn't even know if Paige was still alive.

"You need to simmer down, kid," Cabe frowned as he ascended the stairs and approached a fuming Walter, "Breaking things ain't gonna do Paige any favors."

"Neither is talking so leave me alone," Walter snapped and grabbed another coffee mug. Cabe circled around Walter and placed his hand on the mug before Walter could throw it. "I suggest you get out of my way and let me do what I want."

"Not in this lifetime," Cabe snatched the mug away from Walter and collected the other crockeries before Walter could seize another one and destroy it. Walter tried to get past him and reach for a mug, but Cabe grabbed his shoulders and stopped him from moving forward. "Kid, I know you freeze up and feel worthless when your friends are in trouble, but you need to cool your jets and let that 197 IQ of yours do its magic. I may not be a genius, but I know Collins's type. If he wanted Paige dead, he would have killed her on the spot. You and I both saw that video; he didn't kill her. He apprehended her; she's apparently useful to him, and he'll keep her alive as long as the status quo doesn't change until he wants to change it."

"He could change it at any time, Cabe," Walter's nose flared as he struggled to free himself from Cabe's strong grip.

"Yes. He could." Cabe nodded.

"Then why are you still standing here?"

"Humor me," Cabe did not release Walter's shoulders. "You love Paige, right?" Walter didn't answer, but his facial expression spoke volumes to Cabe. "I may not be a shrink, but based on the way your eyes are about to water and on the fact that you're practically quivering with emotion, I'm gonna go with a yes."

"Get to the point."

"Flip the situation in reverse, Walter. What would Paige do if you were the one apprehended by Collins?" Cabe asked as he loosened his grip on Walter's shoulders. "Would she stand here acting like a five year old and throw every single piece of crockery this building has to offer?"

Walter thought about the times Paige had been worried for the team. When she had first joined Scorpion, there had been several instances where she claimed she had faith in the team, and believed everything would work out for the better. When something went wrong, she continued having faith even when everyone else didn't (despite the fact that four of the members of Scorpion didn't believe in silly superstitions like faith). "If the situation was reversed," Walter felt a little calmer and decided it would be best to emulate Paige in order to reach for clarity…. Paige always provided clarity even if her insight seemed illogical at times. "Paige would stay strong and would have faith in the team."

"Exactly…," Cabe patted Walter's back and smiled, "so do the mother of your child proud and show Mark Collins what Scorpion is made of."

Cabe started heading for the stairs when the memories of the conversation Walter had overheard from the microchip flooded back into his mind. He knew! Mark Collins knew about the baby, and there's no telling what Paige might be going through in order to protect their child. He understood why she agreed to leave; if he was in her position and Mark Collins had threatened to harm Ralph, Paige or _any _member of Scorpion, Walter would have left too. Scorpion was supposed to be a safe place for the mentally enabled, and Walter would protect his company and his assets in a heartbeat.

The emotions tied with the reality that Walter had fathered a child were finally catching up to his IQ-inclined brain, and for the first time in a _very _long time, he felt weak at the knees. Paige was pregnant with _his _child. He always feared the possibility of fathering children because he wasn't the best person when it came to establishing connections, and he didn't think it would be fair to future children if he couldn't connect with them. Once, he had disclosed that fear to Paige, and she simply told him that _one _day, if they decided they wanted children (she never mentioned marriage, but he had a feeling she wanted that possibility to be part of their future too), she would help him connect with their future children had they produced a child or a few children with average IQ levels. Just as he translates Ralph for her, she promised she would one day do the same for him if needed. Little did either of them know, those days were approaching sooner than they ever realized.

Paige… pregnant with _his _child…, was enduring _whatever _Mark Collins was doing to her. He knew she would protect their child with everything she had; she'd do the same for Ralph as he would too. Paige and _his _child were both at the mercy of Mark Collins, and that crazy psychopath could remove them from Walter's life in an instant.

And then the strongest realization sent him to his knees.

Walter O'Brien was going to be a father.

His eyes widened. "Oh god…."

"What's the matter, Walt?" Cabe wheeled back around and found Walter on the ground, gripping the edge of the counter as everything EQ-related he had learned in the last few hours washed over him all at once.

Walter gulped and then gave Cabe the sincerest gaze he had ever given anyone who wasn't Paige or Ralph. He inhaled a deep breath and let it out slowly before raking a hand through his unruly hair. "Mark Collins," his voice quivered with fear, "Mark Collins knows."

"Damn," Cabe closed his eyes and heaved a sigh. He knelt beside Walter. "Are you sure?"

"Yes." Walter answered quickly. The amount of EQ washing over him was almost too much for him to bear. He felt like he was going to throw up.

"We'll get them back, kid. _Both _of them." Cabe patted Walter's shoulder and started to rise upward. Walter grabbed Cabe's arm. He didn't know if his sudden action was because he was desperate, afraid or if it was due to the volumes of new emotions swirling inside him. Perhaps it was because Cabe was like a father to him, and he, too, was going to be a father. He didn't know. He didn't really care at the time he grabbed Cabe's wrist. He only cared for two things, and one of them had a lot to do with Mark Collins's impending demise. The other was obvious. "What is it, son?" Cabe's eyes softened.

Walter couldn't find the strength to release Cabe's arm. He found it difficult to speak too. "I c-c-can't," he inhaled a deep breath and let it out slowly. He wasn't aware of the tears threatening to fall from his eyes. He swallowed the lump in his throat. "I c-c-can't l-lose her…." He buried his head in his hands and stared at the ground. Water droplets splattered onto the floor. Paige was his constant; he couldn't lose her. Losing her would be like losing all of his internal organs – he couldn't function without his internal organs. "I can't l-lose her." More water fell. Walter might have, at one time, believed love was only a fairytale, but after everything he's been through with Paige, he learned that love wasn't a myth – it was very real. While he still found it difficult to profess his feelings for Paige to other people, he knew she knew he loved her. That's all that really mattered to him…. And wherever she was, she was carrying their child – and Collins was capable of _anything_. Walter clutched his hair as he continued staring at the floor. "I c-can't…." He couldn't bring himself to finish his statement.

He felt a palm rest on the back of his neck. "Sometimes," Cabe spoke softly, "We don't have a say in who lives or dies in this world. I didn't when Amanda passed away." He paused, "But let me tell you something, kid." Walter finally met Cabe's sympathetic expression, not aware of the rivulets falling down his cheeks. "Paige. Is. Alive. Mark Collins wants _her _to get to you; he's not going to kill her. Not yet. That gives you and this whole damn team a window of opportunity to kick Mark's ass and bring Paige and your child home safely. Don't give up hope yet, Walter. You know damn well Paige wouldn't want you to quit. Now she's doing everything on her end to stay alive; I suggest you quit your bellowing, reset and use your goddamn 197 IQ to bring her home. Failure is _not _an option anymore." Walter inhaled a deep breath and dabbed his eyes with his fingers as he gave Cabe a slight nod. Cabe helped him up to his feet and patted him on the back. "Go wash your face and get your ass downstairs. We ain't stoppin' til we find Mark."

"Okay," Walter stretched his face downward before releasing his skin. Cabe headed down the stairs, and Walter walked into his bathroom to wash his face. The pregnancy tests were still in the sink. He picked them up, stuffed one of them into his pocket and placed the others inside the medicine cabinet before he bent over the sink, turned on the faucet and splashed his face with cold water. He turned the water off, dabbed his skin with a towel and then exited his bathroom, grabbing his equipment along the way.

As he descended the stairs, he inhaled a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Where are we?"

"We have Collins's IP address for his laptop," Happy was the first to answer, "but we haven't been able to locate its location; he's been very good about _not _connecting to any sort of Wi-Fi."

"Then we give him a reason to get on his computer," Walter replied quickly, acting as though the last ten minutes didn't happen.

"How?" Sylvester looked up from his desk. "Other than the IP address, we have nothing on him."

"Pack up everyone," Walter walked over to his desk to pick a few extra things. "We're going for a ride."

"Might I ask where?" Toby lifted an eyebrow as he slipped his laptop into his satchel.

"We're going to Mark Collins's house." Walter replied without explaining anything further.

"That's a bad, bad idea." Sylvester pumped his hands with sanitizer. "What if it's a trap?"

"Mark Collins knows his house would be the first place the Feds would look for him. It would be the _last _place he would hide, but that doesn't mean he wouldn't keep tabs on his place. He has radio technology all over his house; if _he _can hear external chatter from his home, then who is to say he can't bug his own house?" Walter shoved his left hand into his pocket and clamped his fingers around the pregnancy test. "He had to get all of his equipment from _somewhere _so he probably snuck into his home one day, grabbed what he needed and bugged his place so that he could know when it was or wasn't safe to gather more equipment."

"Walt may be on to something," Toby plopped his hat on top of his head. "A tiger doesn't change his stripes; old habits die hard. Collins is obsessed with radio chatter; it's how he's been able to keep tabs on the military, the government, Scorpion, et cetera. He probably has a place somewhere to where he's slowly migrating his equipment so that he can, for lack of a better phrase, feed his monster."

Happy smirked. "And if we can tap into Collins's feed untraced, we can use his own technology against him and then spy on _him _for a change."

"Ummm…, I hate to be Mr. Negative, but what if he finds out? He probably has a failsafe, enabling him to shut off everything within his house…. Where will we be then?" Sylvester said as he packed his things.

"Once we've hacked into his feed," Walter found himself smirking as well, "I'll upload my strongest firewall. When Collins was a part of Scorpion, he was never able to hack into it. It's ten times more effective now; even if he tries to hack into it, it could take well up to a month before he's able to decrypt it."

"Uh…. That might just send the bastard to the Rabbit Hole. If I remember correctly, Collins was Psycho 2.0 the last time he took a trip to Wonderland." Toby lifted an eyebrow. "Are you sure you want to do that, Walt?"

Walter considered his options. "Do you have any other ideas?"

"No…." Toby sighed.

"Wait," Happy caused everyone to look at her. "I've got a better idea. Sly, you stay here and man the tracking system that's searching for Collins's IP address. If _we _purposely find a way to alert Collins that we're at his home, he'll have to shut everything down wirelessly. While most of his technology is freakin' ancient, he would _have _to have kept up with the tech in order to be one step ahead of Walter. Walter," Happy looked at the 197 IQ genius, "has embraced wireless technology unlike Collins; however, what better way to outsmart your enemy than to out-tech him too? I think Collins has been _waiting _for Walter to return to his former HQ just so he can show him up and frustrate Walter by shutting everything down from a distance. Showing up at Collins's house would give him a reason to tap into a wireless connection and shut his entire satellite down."

"Oh!" Sylvester exclaimed. "And even if he does shut everything down, his IP address will ping on our system, and we'll then have his location!"

"Exactly." Happy grinned, giving Sylvester a high five.

"Let's do it," Cabe gave everyone a thumb's up. "While you geniuses figure out a way to piss Mark off, I'll have SWAT on standby. Once we have Mark's location, I'm not taking any chances; he's a flight risk."

Walter pointed towards the front door. "What are we waiting here for, let's go!"

**~ SCORPION ~**

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**WriterFreak001: **

Now that Walter's back in the game (pun intended), do you think his plan will work? Or, will Collins find out about their plan and bypass it somehow?

Hmmm…. so many questions!

Sorry if Walter was OOC during his overdriven EQ moment with Cabe…. We haven't really seen Walter cry onscreen yet, but I don't think he's a robot. If given a strong incentive (something that would push Walter's EQ overboard), I have a feeling he would cry. He might not understand the emotions involved with the tears, but crying is a natural response; it might take a lot of umph to make Walter cry, but I don't think he's impervious to it.

Anyway, let me know what you think! I had not intended for this chapter to be so long!


	17. Chapter 17

**WriterFreak001: **

Another great episode of SCORPION! :)

While I didn't think the episode was the best by far, it was certainly a great one; it had excellent strength in character development for practically ALL characters. While there wasn't much character development for Paige, we did learn something new about her – SHE KNOWS SPANISH! :D Anyway, I loved that this episode focused on Melvester more than anything; I still think Quintis has some issues to resolve – and the V-Day's episode where they almost kissed was more of a spur of the moment kind of thing…. Cute Waige interaction too! Over all, it was a great episode! (I think I already said that). Anyway, I'll shut up now and let you read the seventeenth installment.

* * *

**Title** | Mind Games

**Fandom** | _Scorpion_ (CBS)

**Description** | Post-Deception. Four months passed since the ending of "Deception," and it seemed as though life, for the most part, returned to normal for Team Scorpion. Walter and Paige were given a chance to focus on their relationship in the midst of all of the cases that were assigned to the team. However, eventually, all great things must end, and once again, Team Scorpion will have to deal with an even bigger opponent than the Leviathan Mafia. Mark Collins is back for revenge and will have something big in store for Walter – something even the 197 IQ genius might not be able to see coming. And Collins's return just might cause a rift within the Scorpion family in the process, making it next to impossible for them to beat his ultimate game.

**Rating**| This fanfiction will be rated T for violence, obscene language, sexual themes as well as brain stuff and fluff.

**POV** | Limited Third Person

**Disclaimer** | While CBS owns _**Scorpion**_, I am the owner of this masterpiece.

**Claimer** | I am human; there are bound to be mistakes. If you feel like something _should_ be changed, you have the power to send me a review/private message. I can't guarantee if I'll change it every time, but I do read all of my reviews and all of my private messages!

* * *

**WARNING: **

**Readers' Discretion is advised. Obscene language in this chapter.**

* * *

**Mind Games**

**Sequel to**_** Deception**_

**Written by WriterFreak001**

**Chapter 17**

**~ S****CORPION ~**

"Never thought we'd have a reason to come back _here _again," Toby muttered as the team hopped out of the van and headed for Mark's house. "Sly might be right, Walt. Mark's gone cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs; there's no telling what sort of traps he could have placed inside his home. He's one paranoid son of a bitch; I'll tell you _that _much."

"Since he's been arrested," Walter glanced over towards the satellite dish, "he hasn't had an adequate amount of time to set up any booby-traps; he's not an idiot, Toby. You of all people should know that Mark Collins wouldn't rig his place. For one, it would prove that he was in the area. If anything, Mark doesn't want to be found. Setting up booby-traps would be an amateur mistake. Two, he would only have time to make short visits to his house to migrate his equipment over to his new location. If he placed rigged his house, he would be susceptible to the traps too."

"Unless they were remote-controlled." Happy muttered from behind the two men. "But Walt's right on this one, Doc. Collins wouldn't waste his time setting up booby-traps – he may be a psychopath, but he's a focused one at that. His main focus is Walter; why else would he nab Paige? It would be one thing if he knew Walter would be the only one checking out his old place – but not even Mark Collins can predict the future. He's very well aware that his house is constantly monitored." Happy circled around Walter and Toby to stop them from walking further. "Rigging his place could alert the feds if an officer happened to stumble upon a trap while keeping tabs on Marks' house. That would be careless; everything he's done up until now has been personal for Walter – visiting Ralph's school, killing that waitress, kidnapping Paige. He wouldn't dare change his tactics for the sake of something that _might _not happen." Happy folded her arms across her chest and glanced at Toby with a lifted eyebrow.

"Happy, I'm impressed. Have you been taking notes from me?" Toby lifted his eyebrows and smirked.

"No. It's something I'd like to call Common Sense." Happy pursed her lips. "You surprise me, Doc. With your Harvard degree, it shouldn't have been _too _hard to figure that one out."

"Well _excuse _me for having an off day." Toby rested his hands on his hips and frowned. "I blame Walter."

Walter snapped his head in Toby's direction. "That's an impossible accusation. I have no control over your deductive skills."

"Au contraire, mon frère," Toby rolled his eyes and crossed his arms in front of his chest. "You were in the Rabbit Hole for more than half a day. _Your _trip to Wonderland inadvertently slowed _us _down, forcing us to think a lot harder than we usually do. My brain is wiped! Not all of us are designed to think 24/7, Walter."

"Well, _maybe _if you didn't have to _wisecrack _all of the time, your brain could be working at _full _capacity!" Walter growled and towered over Toby as he balled up his fists, ready to punch something.

"Hey!" Happy exclaimed as she pushed Walter away from Toby.

"Don't 'hey' me! What were _you _doing when Paige walked out of the garage?!" Walter barked at Happy.

"Don't you _dare _turn the situation around on me, Walt!" Happy snapped.

"Yeah!" Toby frowned. "Why don't you ask your_self _that question, Walter?!"

"If you hadn't noticed," Walter's brows furrowed, "I was a bit preoccupied!"

"Exactly!" Toby and Happy exclaimed in unison. "We're not the blame," Happy continued, "for your inability to delete strange emails! The subject header of the email Collins sent you should have been a red flag – _especially _since the email was sent from an unknown sender. Just because we were busy trying to save your ass by locating Collins, it doesn't mean we're the ones at fault here! You _promised _you wouldn't go back down the Rabbit Hole, Walter! And you're _damn _lucky I stayed around to help the team out because I was on the verge of leaving." Happy clenched her wrench. "The only reason I'm on this case is because of Paige. Right now," Happy breathed in a quick breath and released it.

Before she could finish her rampage, Cabe finally intervened. "Shut it! All of you! I'm fed up with the way you three are acting, and if you continue to bite off each other's heads, then you'll have to explain to Ralph why you three couldn't save his mother. You can bark at each other all you want once this case is finished, but from now until the time we bring Paige home, the three of you are going to push your anger aside and work like a damn team." He glanced at Walter. "If you want to point fingers at someone, then point them at Mark Collins; if it wasn't for him, we wouldn't be in this mess. Now get your acts together because we're not going home to the garage until Paige is with us."

"Copy that." Walter inhaled a deep breath and released it slowly as he looked towards the door of Mark's house.

"Fine," Happy sighed and took a step back from the group.

"You're right Cabe." Toby nodded. "Paige should be our main priority."

"It's our _only _priority." Cabe frowned. "Now, step back. All of you. Even if Mark Collins _didn't _rig his house, I'm not taking any risks." Walter, Happy and Toby took several steps back before Cabe kicked the door open. Nothing happened. Cabe took a few steps into the house. Still nothing. He turned back towards the group, "Unless you have an irrational fear sticky notes, you're clear to go in."

"Is it just me, or is anybody _else _getting a Hansel and Gretel vibe right now?" Toby muttered as the three geniuses stepped inside the house.

"Grow a pair," Happy rolled her eyes and took the lead.

They descended to the basement where Mark Collins kept all of his equipment. Mostly everything was still there so Walter assumed Mark only collected the most important devices he could migrate without causing suspicion or raising red flags. "Happy," Walter acted as though the last few minutes of arguing didn't happen, "Connect th—"

"I know. I know." Happy snapped as she pulled out her equipment from her bag, "I've got this." Happy found the transistor to Mark's feed and started rerouting the wires. Toby and Cabe looked through Mark's files in hopes that they would find any leads as to where he might be holding Paige hostage. Walter, on the other hand, stared at the floor; he couldn't afford to take another trip down the Rabbit Hole. Mark's basement could _easily _send Walter into a Rabbit Hole spiral. "Done." Happy smirked at her work.

Walter pulled up his computer. Not only did Happy reverse Mark's feed, but she also installed a microchip into the transistor not only to bypass Mark's personal wireless connection to his device but also to act as a wireless conduit for Walter's computer, enabling him to hack into the system that was externally controlling the transistor. Hopefully, it would lead him directly to the IP address of Mark's laptop.

"Anything?" Cabe inquired as he looked over Walter's shoulder.

Walter sighed. "Unfortunately…not. I'm able to access the information to the computer used to control the transistor such as IP address, type of computer, et cetera, but without Mark connecting his laptop to a Wi-Fi zone, we can't pinpoint his location." Walter ran his hands through his hair and released a frustrated groan. "And even if Mark's computer _was _connected to Wi-Fi, I wouldn't be surprised if it's also connected to a proxy server by now. Since he's rigged our garage with that baby monitor, he could have easily found out about the IP address that slipped underneath his nose."

"Can't you just hack into the proxy server then?" Cabe lifted an eyebrow.

"Not blindly; there needs to be an internet connection, and since he's reluctant to connect to one, there's nothing we can do until he does." Walter closed his eyes and pressed his lips together as he tried to think of another plan.

"You're one of the smartest tech guys in the world, and that's all you've got?!" Cabe threw his hands up into the air. "There's gotta be _something _cooking in your mind!"

"Just give me a minute," Walter's nose flared.

"Paige might not have a minute." Happy deadpanned.

Walter shot a look at her and was ready to snap, but Cabe placed his hand firmly on Walter's shoulder. "Easy there, cowboy."

"You don't have to remind me what's at stake, Happy." Walter spoke in a low voice.

"Happy," Toby jumped off of the table he had been sitting on and approached her. "Take a beat. I know you're still pissed at Walt, but considering the circumstances, Walter _may _need an extra minute or two to think of an alternative plan." Toby glanced at Walter and then mumbled loud enough for the 197 genius to hear him, "I don't like the guy right now, myself, but like Cabe said earlier, Paige is our priority – _especially _Walter's. If anything, Walter is more affected by Paige's abduction than he's letting on."

Suddenly, Walter's eyes popped open and he started tapping on the table his laptop was sitting on before typing on his keyboard. "Aha!" He exclaimed. "In one second, my computer will be a conduit for the radio frequency Mark hacked into. I just need to," he slowly turned a virtual dial on his screen with his mouse, "tune the radio program on my computer just right and then," They started hearing mumblings from a very familiar voice, "Got it! We're tuned into the frequency Mark has been using and can now hear what's going on at his end."

"So?" Happy shrugged. "That's what we were planning to do, wasn't it?"

"Yes, but," he paused and looked at Happy, "Mark would want the best frequency available in this area, correct? He would want to hack into a frequency that would never fail and would ensure him that his house was empty when he needed to collect his things."

"I see where you're going, Walter, but Collins wouldn't want to hack into the strongest signal," Toby said before Happy could say anything. "The strongest signals in this area are city-wide; it would be easy for a radio nerd to stumble on Mark's feed. That's too risky – even for Mark. If I was a freakin' psychopath, I would want to be far enough away from my house so that I can't be seen by my neighbors, but close enough to for an easy getaway. If I had money to bet on Mark, I would say that he would want to hack into a strong, less-popular frequency with no chance of failure."

Walter inhaled a slow breath. He briefly covered his mouth as he stared at his computer. "Toby might be right."

"Gee. I'm so glad you've finally recognized my genius." Toby rolled his eyes.

"Knock it off!" Cabe snapped.

"If we can get our hands on schematics of all of the radio frequencies in this neighborhood and then isolate the one Walter's tune into, we might be able to pinpoint a general location as to where Collins might be hiding." Happy folded her arms and approached Walter. "And if we can do that, we might be able to narrow the search even further by accessing all of the radio devices tuned into that one frequency."

"And if there's only one device being used," Cabe smirked, "we can assume it's Collins's."

"Exactly," Happy nodded. "But that means we'll have to reverse the connection again; otherwise, we will be pinged instead of Collins's."

Suddenly, Walter's cell phone rang. He pulled it out of his pocket and knew exactly who it was. "Mark," he spoke as he answered the phone.

"_Is it just me, Walter, or are you telepathic now, too?" _Mark chuckled into Walter's ear as the 197 IQ genius leaned against the table next to him.

"Where's Paige?" Walter spat, ignoring Mark's comment.

"_Is that the first thing you think of after all we've done together? __**Clearly **__that woman has poisoned you, Walter." _

"I'm not going to ask again." Walter gritted his teeth and closed his eyes. Toby kept urging him to put the phone on speaker, but Walter ignored the shrink's gestures.

"_Fiiiine. If you must know, O'Brien, she is alive and well. A little roughened up, but she's breathing." _Walter could imagine Mark rolling his eyes as he gave his response. _"If you need proof, you can turn on the monitor next to the transistor – oh, and by the way, I know what you did to my wirings. If you even try to pinpoint my location, and believe me, I __**will **__find out, I won't hesitate to drive my switchblade into Miss Dineen's abdomen." _ Walter's whole body shook with a mixture of anger and fear; he didn't understand what he was feeling, but it wasn't good – for Mark's sake. _"Anyway, where was I? Oh, that's right. Turn on that monitor; there's a camera above it so it'll be like we're FaceTiming each other." _

Walter scrambled to the monitor and turned it on. Mark wasn't lying; once the monitor booted up, Walter, Cabe, Toby and Happy could see Mark Collins staring into the screen; the room he was in was dark, only lit with a small amount of natural light from the windows. Walter assumed they were in a basement based on the fact that the windows were installed only inches from the ceiling. Walter still didn't see Paige. He finally put his phone on speaker. "Where's Paige?"

"_What do they say about patience and virtues?!" _Mark slammed his hands against a counter.

"He's more aggressive than the last time we encountered him," Toby muttered. "Tread carefully, Walter."

"Copy that," Walter mumbled under his breath. "Mark. Where is Paige?" Mark sighed and slightly moved the camera's angle towards a figure behind him. Walter couldn't see a face, but he recognized the figure's outline against a chair and instantly knew it was Paige. But the dark silhouette did not prove anything. "Move in closer. I need to see her face."

"_Well, aren't __**you**__ demanding today?" _Mark scoffed but heeded Walter's request. _"See? I __**told **__you she was fine." _

Walter repressed the anger, guilt and sympathy he felt when he first saw Paige as her figure illuminated on the screen. Her left eye and cheek were black and swollen, her lip was busted and she had a dark bruise on her right cheek. The corners of her mouth were also swollen; Walter deduced that Mark had gagged her with cloth for a long amount of time. Cabe's assessment was wrong earlier; it wasn't Mark's fault that Paige had been captured. It was Walter's. _He _should have been able to prevent Mark from reaching out to Paige, but because of his own stupidity, he sent himself down the Rabbit Hole only to wake up to this mess. If _anything _happened to Paige or their child as a result to Walter's idiocy, he would _never _be able to forgive himself.

After a minute, Mark moved away from Paige and placed the camera back on the counter. _"By the way, in case you were wondering, she can't see you. She can __**hear **__you, though. The video feed only works one way. Ingenious, isn't it? Pull up a chair and pop some popcorn, Walter; you can watch your baby momma suffer all you want, and you won't be able to do a damn thing about it because __**you **__won't risk Paige's nor your child's lives for the sake of putting me behind bars again. And that reason alone is why we are different, Walter. __**I **__am willing to risk __**everything **__to achieve greatness and obtain the optimal goal. __**You**__, however, are a disgrace. If you had to choose between Paige and the lives of a hundred people, you would choose Paige in a heartbeat. After all, what's a hundred lives anyway? You already have two thousand deaths on your ledger. Adding to the list shouldn't be a problem to you as long as the result – saving Paige – pleases you in the end." _

"Don't listen to that bastard, Walter." Cabe squeezed Walter's shoulder. "He's only trying to rile you up."

"I know," Walter noted and frowned as he looked at Mark as he spoke into the speaker on his phone. "I don't _need _to choose."

"_Because you __**know**__I'm right." _Mark smirked. _"It's okay. You can admit it; I won't boast." _

"You're wrong." Walter's conviction caught Mark's attention. "I wouldn't choose Paige." Everyone looked at him. "I wouldn't choose the people either." Cabe and Toby were taken aback. Happy simply lifted an eyebrow. "I'd save _everyone_. I might not be Superman, and I could never promise perfect results, but a wise person once told me to save everyone involved - so that's the premise I will always strive for." Walter remembered his first case with Paige; when he and Cabe were discussing the Greater Good theory, Paige deliberately told Walter that normal people save everybody. Walter had reminded her that he was far from normal, but she refused to accept his response as an excuse. From that moment on, Walter made it a personal goal to always opt to save everyone – even if success couldn't always be guaranteed.

Walter's response angered Mark; the psychotic genius had not expected such an answer from him. It through him off a little bit. Mark inhaled a deep breath and let it out slowly. "All right," he frowned, "Take your phone off of speaker, Walter. I want to speak with you alone."

Walter looked at Cabe, and Cabe nodded. "Come on Happy. Toby. Let's go outside for a bit."

When the three left, Walter did as Mark requested and placed his phone to his ear. "What do you want?"

"_I can tell how desperate you are, Walter. You'll do __**anything **__to ensure Paige and your little parasite's safety. Am I wrong?" _Mark wasn't playing games anymore.

"I'll do whatever it takes." It was a no-brainer.

"_If you want Paige, I'll return her to you." _

"When?" Walter inquired.

"_Tomorrow morning. 0200 hours. Supersymmetry. Come alone. Do you understand me, Walter?" _

"Yes." Walter nodded; he understood Mark perfectly.

"_If you tell __**anyone **__what we've discussed after your fledglings walked outside, I will kill Miss Dineen and will deliver her body to you instead." _Mark's eyes glared into the camera, proving to Walter he was serious.

"How do I know you'll hold your end of the bargain?" Walter didn't know if he could trust Mark.

"_Paige Dineen is still alive, is she not?" _The camera zoomed in on her before returning to Mark.

"Point taken." Walter swallowed the lump in his throat. "You have a deal. No one from my end will know about this."

"_That's what I like to h—"_

"_Walter!" _Paige shouted from behind Mark. _"Don't come! It's a trap! He's going to k—" _

"_SHUT UP!" _Mark bellowed as he marched over to Paige and smacked her hard on the face. Twice. Walter's whole body froze with anger as she cried in pain. Mark grabbed her hair and yanked her head backwards as he pulled out his switchblade. _"You see this!? One more fucking word out of you, and you'll wish you miscarried!" _Walter repetitively called out her name as he watched everything unfold on the screen; he felt handcuffed and grew frustrated. Mark pushed Paige's face forward. She was shaking with fear as he pressed the dull side of the switchblade against her cheek. The blade traveled down her neck and towards her chest. _"You know what I like about this blade, Paige?" _

Walter inhaled quick, shallow breaths, and his nose flared as Paige quivered.

"_ANSWER ME!" _Mark flailed his blade and slashed Paige's arm.

Walter balled his fists as Paige's eyes began to water. _"N-no." _she stammered in quick breaths. _"I don't kn-know." _

Mark smirked; no doubt it was because he knew Walter was watching everything. _"Well, you're just about to find out." _Mark pulled out a firearm and aimed it at the camera. Walter froze as he saw Mark press the cold blade against Paige's abdomen. "_We'll be seeing you soon, Walter."_ Mark chuckled before he fired the bullet.

And as the feed cut off, Walter flared with anger as he heard Paige's voice on his phone beg Mark not to hurt the baby. _"Please! Please, no!" _Her voice quivered. _"Please! I'll do any – I'll do anything!"_

Walter couldn't bring himself to speak; for the first time in a very long time, he was tongue-tied, and anything he wanted to say got caught in his throat. He felt sick to his stomach; he heard a struggle. Mark demanded Paige to sit still as she continued to plead him to spare the baby's life. _"Fine. Have it your way!" _Mark spat, and just before Walter's phone died, he heard a curdling scream.

**~ SCORPION ~**

"Paige! Paige!" Cabe heard Walter shout from beyond the basement door. He screamed her name again; convincing Cabe it was go-time. He rushed down the stairs, followed by Toby and Happy. He stopped in his tracks when Walter threw his phone against the wall; it shattered to hundreds of pieces.

"What happened!?" Cabe barked as he approached Walter. He tried grabbing the kid's shoulders, forcing him to face him, but Walter ripped himself away from Cabe and started smashing and throwing things. "Walter!" Cabe yelled. "Answer me, dammit!"

"Uh, Cabe?" Toby blinked, capturing the agent's attention. "You've gotta do something quickly; if Walt keeps this tantrum up, he'll spiral into a Rabbit Hole he's not equipped to handle. And if that happens, it's game over for Walter, game over for Paige and game over for the baby."

"No one – except maybe Paige – would be able to drag Walter out of that kind of dark place. It's nasty – brutally nasty. So think fast." Happy added as Cabe turned around and looked at Walter; the genius wasn't throwing things anymore. He was on his knees, hands clamped to his hair and staring at the floor with widened eyes. Walter was hyperventilating, and it pained Cabe to see him in such a desolate state.

"What part of 'act quickly' do you not understand, Cabe!" Toby shouted. "If you don't shake him out of Gloomsville, Mr. 197 is as good as gone. He might as well be a vegetable."

Walter started mumbling Paige's name over and over and over again; the sight was too much for Cabe to watch anymore. "Say no more." Cabe muttered as he walked up to Walter, knelt down beside him and rammed his fist into the genius's temple. Walter was out cold.

"Of all the things I'd thought you'd do, _that _was not one of them." Toby's eyes popped open. Then he nodded. "But Cognitive Recalibration works too."

Happy was grinning. "Well, if you wanted _that _to happen, I could have lent you my wrench."

"I just wanted to knock him out; not give him stitches." Cabe frowned as he heaved Walter's limp body over his shoulders. "Let's go. Walter's no good here anymore. We need to get him back to the garage until he wakes up."

"But you said we're not returning til we have Paige." Toby lifted his eyebrows as he and Happy started following Cabe up the stairs.

"You're right. I _did _say that. Once I shed this growth off my back," Cabe gestured towards Walter, "the three of us will be going on a field trip."

**~ SCORPION ~**

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**WriterFreak001: **

Aaaaand the suspense continues! I opted on including the ending section as part of the next chapter but decided against it, thinking I should end this chappie on a humorous (well, semi-humorous) note instead of a "HOW COULD YOU DO THAT TO ME" note.

Anyway, please let me know at any time if the characters seem OOC.

What do you think will happen next?

Let me know what you think, regardless! I can take the heat! 8^D (That's me, wearing sunglasses).


	18. Chapter 18

**WriterFreak001: **

If you haven't checked it out yet, I have a new one-shot called "Super Nanny." :) It is rated M to be on the safe side (it's no more graphic than my other fics) so you might not be able to find it unless you change your filter settings to ALL for Ratings.

Anyway, nothing new here, so have fun reading! :D

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**Title** | Mind Games

**Fandom** | _Scorpion_ (CBS)

**Description** | Post-Deception. Four months passed since the ending of "Deception," and it seemed as though life, for the most part, returned to normal for Team Scorpion. Walter and Paige were given a chance to focus on their relationship in the midst of all of the cases that were assigned to the team. However, eventually, all great things must end, and once again, Team Scorpion will have to deal with an even bigger opponent than the Leviathan Mafia. Mark Collins is back for revenge and will have something big in store for Walter – something even the 197 IQ genius might not be able to see coming. And Collins's return just might cause a rift within the Scorpion family in the process, making it next to impossible for them to beat his ultimate game.

**Rating**| This fanfiction will be rated T for violence, obscene language, sexual themes as well as brain stuff and fluff.

**POV** | Limited Third Person

**Disclaimer** | While CBS owns _**Scorpion**_, I am the owner of this masterpiece.

**Claimer** | I am human; there are bound to be mistakes. If you feel like something _should_ be changed, you have the power to send me a review/private message. I can't guarantee if I'll change it every time, but I do read all of my reviews and all of my private messages!

* * *

**WARNING: **

**Readers' Discretion is advised. Obscene language and violence in this chapter.**

* * *

**Mind Games**

**Sequel to**_** Deception**_

**Written by WriterFreak001**

**Chapter 18**

**~ S****CORPION ~**

_Walter called out Paige's name as he sprung forward and found himself in his bedroom, covered in sweat. His heart was pounding against his ribcage, and he was finding it difficult to calm his breathing. He jumped to the touch of a soft palm gently rubbing his back from shoulder to shoulder. "Was it that same dream again?" _

_Walter froze as he heard her voice as clear as day. "P-Paige?" His voice cracked. He turned and found Paige sitting next to him, wearing a thin, silky nightgown over her body. _

"_Who else would I be?" Paige laughed and pulled him in for a searing kiss; they fell backwards against the bed and landed in the soft pillows. While Walter laid on his side, he slightly hovered over the woman in his arms as he hungrily kissed her. "Oh, oh!" Paige gasped against his lips, causing him to pull away from her and give her a strange look. _

"_Is something wrong?" _

_She smiled and took one of his hands and placed it on her swelling belly. "Wait for it…." Walter grinned and kissed her. _

"_I can't believe there's only two weeks left," Walter gently rubbed her belly. _

"_I know, right?" Paige lightly kissed him. "It seems like only yesterday we found out I was pregnant again." _

"_It does, doesn't it?" Walter kissed her once more and then rolled her silky nightgown upward, revealing her growing tummy. Walter splayed his hand over her belly and smiled at Paige when he felt several pops drum against his palm. _

"_He definitely likes the attention," Paige laughed as she pulled Walter in for another kiss. More tiny kicks. "He's quite the social butterfly." _

"_He takes on after his mother," Walter rubbed small circles over her navel before kissing her again. _

"_We still haven't chosen a name, Walter." Paige captured his gaze and pushed herself upward; he sat up as well. "The last thing I want to happen is to tell the doctor his name is Baby O'Brien and explain to him we've been too busy to think of one." _

"_We have been busy, though, Paige. Both of us have." Walter said as he pulled her nightgown back over her round belly, reached for the bed sheets and then pulled them over their legs. _

"_I know," Paige nodded. "I know. While I've been stuck here with this little human growing inside of me, you and everybody else have been all over the city, making sure World War III doesn't happen." _

"_And you know I would have you join us if it weren't for the obvious." Walter chuckled as he interlocked his fingers with hers and kissed her knuckles. _

"_I know," Paige leaned her head against his shoulder. "I do have a few ideas if you want me to run them by you." She turned to look at him, and when he nodded, she smiled and then continued. "As you know, I have developed a keen obsession with Irish names so I did some research a few weeks ago and found three I really like. The first one is Keegan." _

"_No. Absolutely not." Walter shook his head. "There was a local in Callan named Keegan when I lived there; he was one of several town drunks, and when he was intoxicated, he had a strange fetish for streaking through the fields. Mo dhaid," Walter paused, "My dad caught him in our fields once and warned him to keep his distance if he didn't want his family jewels blown off with his rifle. Fortunately for us, Keegan never trespassed again." _

"_Oh my," Paige's eyes popped open. "What about Owen?" _

"_Owen O'Brien sounds like a mouthful." Walter dismissed the name. _

"_Okaaaay. Liam, then?" _

"_Liam O'Brien," Walter muttered, "I like the sound of that." _

_Paige smiled. "I do too." She turned to her belly and gently poked an area close to her navel, "From now on, your name is Liam O'Brie-Omph!" She started rubbing her stomach, "I think he likes it." _

"_Good because he's going to be stuck with it for the rest of his life." Walter chuckled and then pulled Paige in for a kiss. "Unfortunately," he pulled away from her, "it's time for me to get up and make sure Ralph and Léana get up in time for school." He slipped on a pair of jeans and pulled his arms through one of his favorite shirts before buttoning it up. He forewent the tie. Then he looked at Paige. "You know, had you allowed Ralph to move forward with his education instead of making him attend a school more suited for his age level, he would have graduated college by now and could have been some use to you around the garage." _

_Paige stuck her tongue out at him and tossed a pillow at his head. It missed terribly. "Hurry back; I'm going to need help taking a bath, and since it's your fault I'm the size of a blimp," her mood suddenly changed, "you sure as hell are going to wait on me hand and foot until this human pops out of me!" _

"_I have a job, Paige," Walter walked over to her and kissed her forehead. _

"_Screw your job! It can wait a few weeks!" Paige snapped and avoided his gaze. "I am sick and tired of waddling around this damn garage while you're having all the fun in God knows where! Ralph spends most of his day at high school and doesn't get home until the evening because of that stupid Robotics club! I have to have Ralph's old babysitter pick Léana up from elementary school almost every day because I can't even fit in the goddamn car without honking the horn with my oversized bellybutton, and since Rónán is too young to go to school, I have to hope to God that that wild child of yours doesn't run into any sharp objects in the garage because I can't keep up with him! He's like three children all on his own!" She grabbed his collar and yanked him downward. "As my husband and as the one responsible for all of this, the least you could do, Walter, is take two freaking weeks off of work and help your pregnant wife for once!" _

_Walter hated it when Paige's hormones took over; she wasn't exactly pleasant whenever she was angry, and because the delivery date was getting closer, she was prone to more mood swings than usual. "I'll, um, I'll talk to Cabe." _

"_You better," Paige pushed him upward. "Now make yourself useful and bring me some coffee." _

"_Okay," Walter sighed and headed for the door. _

"_Hey, Walter?" Paige's tone was softer. _

"_Yeah?" He turned to look at her as a smile formed on her lips. _

"_I love you." _

_Walter nodded. "I know you do." He left Paige in their bedroom and headed for Ralph's room. Ralph was already up, dressed and on his computer. Walter smiled; even though he wasn't related to the boy, Ralph was remarkably similar to him. "Morning, Ralph." _

"_Hi Walter," Ralph turned and smiled. "How's Mom today?" _

"_Oh…. The usual." Walter ran a hand through his hair. "Do you have robotics after school today?" _

"_No…," Ralph shook his head. "Mr. Curry has been sick since Monday. He sent an email, saying robotics was cancelled for the week. I still stay behind, though, to work on some things. Why?" _

"_Your mom has asked me to help her out today…and pretty much every day until the baby is born. In addition to taking Léana to school, could you pick her up today too? And maybe Thursday and Friday as well? Paige is, uh, she doesn't like making last minute calls to your former babysitter and asking her to pick your sister up from school; it would help out your mom if she didn't have to worry about that for a few days." Walter explained. "I'll pay for the extra gas." _

"_All right. Cool." Ralph smirked. "I don't mind doing that." _

"_Thanks, bud." Walter walked into the room and ruffled the teen's hair. "Make sure to keep track of the time. You don't want to be late." _

_Walter started leaving the room when Ralph called out to him. "Hey, Walter?" _

"_Yeah?" _

"_Isn't there somewhere you need to be?" Ralph glanced at him. _

"_Other than waking up your sister and grabbing coffee for your mother? No. I don't think so." Walter folded his arms in front of his chest. Suddenly, the time 0200 entered his mind. _

"_Are you sure?" Ralph lifted an eyebrow. _

_Walter saw Stephen Hawking's book, "The Universe in a Nutshell" sitting on Ralph's desk. He casually walked over to it and picked it up. "When did you get this?" _

"_It's a library book; I have an assignment that deals with explaining the concept of Supersymmetry." _

_Walter froze. "S-say that again?" _

"_Assignment. I have a homework assignment that deals with Supersymmetry. It's due tomorrow." Ralph raised an eyebrow. "Is everything all right?" _

"_I…. I don't know." Walter shook away his thoughts. "Do you need any h—" The room was empty. "Ralph? Ralph, where are you?" _

"_W-Walter?" A small voice from behind him caught his attention. He turned around and found ten-year-old Ralph standing close to him. _

"_What is it, buddy?" He bent down and placed a palm on Ralph's shoulder. The boy was frightened of something. _

"_You have to save my mom, W-Walter. He's got her, and he's hurting her!" Ralph quivered. "H-He's going to k-kill her, Walter." _

_Suddenly he heard a shrilling scream. "Paige!" _

**~ SCORPION ~**

Walter lurched forward as he heard himself shouting Paige's name. His heart was racing, his head was pounding and he was drenched with sweat. He was in his bedroom again.

"Walter," a small voice mumbled behind him. He turned around and found Ralph sleeping against his mother's pillow. "Mom's in trouble. Save her."

Walter froze as he remembered everything that had happened in Mark's house. Paige! He looked at the clock. 01:18 AM. Walter scrambled out of bed, shoved his feet into his shoes and bolted out of his room only to return and pick the boy up into his arms before dashing for the stairs.

"W-Walter!" Sylvester exclaimed as Walter placed Ralph on the couch. "You're awake! Thank God! Oops!" He suddenly lowered his voice to a harsh whisper. "Thank God!"

"Where are Cabe, Toby and Happy?" Walter asked as he started collecting his things.

"Dunno. Cabe said to call if I found anything. I haven't yet. They've been out all night." Sylvester paused. "Wait. You're in a hurry to be somewhere. You know where he is, don't you?"

"Yes." Walter nodded. "But I'm not at liberty to say – not with Paige's life at stake." Walter jammed his gun into his briefcase and then raced to Paige's desk to pull her gun out of the bottom drawer. He attached that one and its holster to his belt. He had a plan. He logged into Paige's computer, pulled up a map and highlighted a specific area and then printed it out before turning off the monitor. He wrote "2:10 AM – CG ASAP." on it and handed it to Sylvester. "Don't let me down, buddy."

"What am I supposed to do with this, Walter?" Sylvester called out to him as he raced out of the garage. "Uhhh, Walter?! Walter!"

**~ SCORPION ~**

Paige felt like her entire body was on fire; she fought long and hard to keep Mark Collins from harming her baby, and when he grew frustrated of her resistance, he slashed his blade across her left thigh and then punched her face when he couldn't stand her crying in pain. As each hour passed, he gained his thrill by torturing her. She had cuts all over her back, arms and legs as well as dark welts forming on her face, neck, arms and sides. And every time he struck her, he told her she was worthless and deserved everything that was coming to her.

"It's time," Mark walked up to her and released her from her shackles. Big mistake. With all of her might, she kicked him as hard as she could with her right foot; as he stumbled backwards, she bolted for the door but fell forward when he grabbed her ankle. "You bitch!" She kicked at him as he climbed on top of her and crushed her against the hard floor. She tried pushing him off of her, but he was too heavy. "Just for that," he grabbed at her face, "I'm going to have a little bit of fun first. Let's see exactly what O'Brien sees in you, shall we?"

And before she could try to turn away, he thrust his tongue down her throat. She instantly clamped her teeth down on his tongue and bit him as hard as she could. He doubled back and grumbled in pain, giving her the chance she needed to kick him in the balls. She slid out from underneath him and hurried for the door. She jiggled on its handle, but it didn't open. Mark pushed himself to his feet and howled. "You're a feisty one, aren't you!?" She turned back towards the door and tried loosening it from its frame.

He staggered towards her, and the moment she forced the door open, she squeezed through it and then slammed it shut, wedging a chair underneath the handle to keep Mark Collins from opening it. She scrambled about the home, looking for a phone – _any _phone. When she couldn't find one, she fled for the front door. She unlocked the door and pulled it open to find Mark Collins standing in front of her. She stumbled backwards and tried to flee from him, but he grabbed her hair and yanked her backwards. He jerked her out of the house and headed for his car. "You've been a naughty, naughty girl, Paige Dineen." He popped his trunk and threw her in. "And you know what?" He spat and pressed her left hand against the lip of his trunk, "I despise naughty girls."

He reached up for the lid of the trunk and slammed it down on her fingers.

…

He grinned at the muffled sound of her painful cries. Broken phalanges were never pleasant, and they sometimes proved to be the most painful; however, if everything went according to his plans, the pain his replacement was feeling would be short-lived.

Paige Dineen and Walter's spawn were going to die today.

Before he hopped into the driver's seat of his car, he stared at the stars and knew the bloodbath was going to be just as beautiful as the starry sky.

Mark smirked and turned on his car before driving away from his new headquarters. '

"Checkmate."

**~ SCORPION ~**

* * *

**WriterFreak001: **

I know this chapter was shorter than past ones, but I thought this would be a good place to stop for now.

Here are the pronunciations of the names:

~ Leanna [LAY-in-a]

~ Rónán [ROH-nahn]

~ Liam [just like the English version]

Anyway, I just learned today that Walter is actually the only one who lives at the garage; everyone else has their own apartment elsewhere. That being said, in future fics (not a part of this series), Walter will be the only one living at the garage. (This actually makes me happy because whenever Walt and Paige do become canon in the show, they'll have a lot more privacy at the garage (at night) than I originally was thinking.

Let me know what you think! Please review if you're anxious of reading more! :)


	19. Chapter 19

**WriterFreak001: **

Those promo pictures for 1x18 "Once Bitten, Twice Die" are hilarious! I am very curious to see how they connect because they all seem very random to me. LOL

Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter!

* * *

**Title** | Mind Games

**Fandom** | _Scorpion_ (CBS)

**Description** | Post-Deception. Four months passed since the ending of "Deception," and it seemed as though life, for the most part, returned to normal for Team Scorpion. Walter and Paige were given a chance to focus on their relationship in the midst of all of the cases that were assigned to the team. However, eventually, all great things must end, and once again, Team Scorpion will have to deal with an even bigger opponent than the Leviathan Mafia. Mark Collins is back for revenge and will have something big in store for Walter – something even the 197 IQ genius might not be able to see coming. And Collins's return just might cause a rift within the Scorpion family in the process, making it next to impossible for them to beat his ultimate game.

**Rating**| This fanfiction will be rated T for violence, obscene language, sexual themes as well as brain stuff and fluff.

**POV** | Limited Third Person

**Disclaimer** | While CBS owns _**Scorpion**_, I am the owner of this masterpiece.

**Claimer** | I am human; there are bound to be mistakes. If you feel like something _should_ be changed, you have the power to send me a review/private message. I can't guarantee if I'll change it every time, but I do read all of my reviews and all of my private messages!

* * *

**WARNING: **

**Readers' Discretion is advised. Obscene language in this chapter.**

* * *

**Mind Games**

**Sequel to**_** Deception**_

**Written by WriterFreak001**

**Chapter 19**

**~ S****CORPION ~**

Walter glanced at his watch and counted the seconds as 2:00 AM drew near. When Mark Collins gave him a hint as to where he could save Paige, Walter knew exactly where to go. Once, when Mark was a part of the team, he and Walter finished a late dinner at a local diner and then they drove to Angeles National Forest for no apparent reason and discussed various topics of science and future technology, but mainly, their conversation revolved around the theory of Supersymmetry.

He checked his watch again.

1:58 AM.

The wait was becoming unbearable. Walter knew Mark would keep his promise; as strange as it sounded, Mark Collins was always a man of his word – in his own sick and twisted way. With one more minute on the clock, Walter heard both Paige's and Mark's voice; Mark was grumbling demands, and Paige was begging him to release her. And then he saw them making their way into the clearing. When he saw her, called out her name and started running towards her.

"Not so fast, O'Brien!" Mark spat as he pulled out a gun and pressed it against Paige's temple. Walter stopped dead in his tracks, and Paige was shaking with fear. She placed one hand over her belly and silently pleaded for her life. Tears stained her swollen cheeks as new ones fell.

"Mark!" Walter shouted as he grabbed for his gun and pointed it at Mark Collins. His hands were shaking.

"Unless you want a bloodbath on your hands," Mark yelled. "I suggest you drop your weapon!"

Walter didn't hesitate and dropped his gun as he took a step forward towards Mark and Paige. "Mark," he said with a warning tone. "Let her go." Mark didn't heed Walter's request. "This is between _you_ and _me_, Mark. Paige has nothing to do with our quarrels;" his voice softened as he slowly took another step towards them, lugging his shoulder bag along with him. "I beg you; let her go."

"See what you've become?!" Mark bellowed with anger, "You're pathetic! This fucking woman," he yanked on Paige's hair and drove the nozzle against her skin, "has destroyed you, Walter!"

Walter took another step towards Mark and Paige. "You're wrong, Mark."

"I AM NOT WRONG!" Mark's face turned red as he forced Paige on her knees, jerked her upwards by tugging on her hair and cocked his gun. Paige grabbed her scalp and cried in pain.

"Y-you're right! You're right!" Walter immediately recanted his previous statement as his hands flailed in front of him. Walter's heart began to pound. "I'm n-not the same p-person as I was when you worked for Scorpion; you're right, Mark," Walter glanced at Paige for a split second and then refocused on Mark Collins, "th-the Walter O'Brien you knew," he shook his head, "is no longer around." He gulped, "And, I'll admit," he forced a smile, "I have been blindsided lately, but that's not Paige's fault. P-Paige has made me a better person; I changed because I _wanted _to change, and she h-helped me learn to g-give people the b-benefit of the doubt."

"That's bullshit!" Mark spat.

"You're right," Walter agreed as he stopped walking towards them. "At least where _you _stand, it is. I thought solitary confinement would benefit you, but I was wrong. And because I was wrong and didn't keep a closer eye on you while you were in jail, you're more insane than you've ever been, and I'm not sorry for sending you away the first time." His fingers had balled into fists, and he kept his distance. "If you want to kill me, then kill me, but let Paige go."

Mark removed the gun from Paige's temple and pointed it towards Walter. Seconds passed and then Mark smirked as he retracted his gun. "Killing you would be too easy of a feat. And besides," he chuckled as he pushed Paige forward and placed the gun against the small of her back, "I can't have fun with you if you're not breathing."

"Mark, I'm warning you, let her go!" Walter clenched his jaw.

"Or what? You'll run to Daddy and tell on me?" Mark frowned as he pressed the side of Paige's head into the ground. "While you're at it, you should tell him how much I enjoyed shoving my tongue down your girlfriend's throat as I forced myself onto her." Walter froze. Mark smirked. "She was quite the tasty one, might I add? And the way she begged for mercy as I fuc—"

"Walter! He's lying! Don't listen to him!" Paige's hoarse voice cut Mark off and caught Walter's attention. "He didn't touch me! He didn't tou—"

"SHUT UP, BITCH!" Mark shoved the nozzle of the gun into her mouth. She started to gag. Mark shot a glance towards Walter and roared, "THIS IS HOW IT'S GOING TO GO! YOU CAN EITHER WATCH ME LODGE BULLETS INTO YOUR FUCKING WHORE'S BRAIN, OR YOU CAN LEAVE WITH ME AND NEVER COME BACK! WHICH WILL IT BE, WALTER!?"

Leave Scorpion? Leave Paige and Ralph? And his child? He couldn't do that! But he couldn't watch Paige die either.

"GOING ONCE! GOING TWICE!"

"Okay!" Walter exclaimed as he took a step forward, "I'll go with you! I'll go, and I won't ever come back! You have my word, Mark." Walter ran his hand through his hair, "I'll go."

Mark smiled a menacing grin as he removed his gun from Paige's mouth. "We leave now."

"Okay. Okay." Walter inhaled a deep breath. Just where the hell was Cabe?! Sly should have contacted him by now! "Let me say goodbye to Paige first. And you have to promise me you won't hurt her."

"Fiiiine." Mark rolled his eyes. "You have two minutes. Any second later, and she's dead." Mark pushed himself upward and took a few steps away from Paige; Walter took that opportunity to scramble towards her.

As she pushed herself up, he dropped to his knees and pulled her into a tight embrace. He didn't even think about it; it just happened. She winced from his touch, and he immediately withdrew his arms from her body as he closely examined all of her wounds. He gently touched her face and apologized immensely for everything Mark had put her through.

"It's not your fault," she whispered and found his gaze with her swollen eyes. "I don't blame you."

"It _is _my fault." Walter frowned, "If I h—"

"W-Walter," Paige released a heavy breath of hair as her bottom lip quivered, "Please…. Don't. Don't d-do this to yourself. I didn't go through hell for you to torment yourself over it." She started to shiver; Walter immediately took off his denim jacket and draped it around her shoulders. "If you want someone to b-blame," she glanced at Mark and then looked back at Walter, "blame _him_."

"One minute!" Mark shouted, causing both Walter and Paige to jump.

"Walter," Paige spoke quietly as she leaned her forehead against his, "Mark has no intention of keeping me alive. He plans on killing me the moment you go with him."

"I won't let that happen," Walter muttered as Paige laced her fingers with his. "Do you trust me?"

Paige nodded slightly as she leaned over to kiss the corner of his mouth. "Always."

Walter gently tugged on her chin and kissed her gingerly. "I promise, everything will work out eventually." Hopefully.

"I have faith in you," she kissed him again. "Both of us," she brought the back of his hand to her belly, "believe in you, Walter."

"I know you do." Walter pressed his lips against her forehead. "I know you do."

"I don't care _what _Mark has tried to tell you, Walter." Paige's eyes melted into his gaze. Her lip began to quiver again. "I love you." A tear fell from her eye, "And I always will."

"I know." Walter smiled. "I know you do." Before he could say anything else, Mark grabbed Paige's hair and yanked her away from him. She cried out in pain as he pushed her to the ground.

"Time's up!" Mark bellowed at Walter. "Get over there!"

"I said I would go with you, Mark! Don't touch her!" Walter started to advance him, but he pulled out a switchblade and pointed his gun at her. He stopped dead in his tracks.

"I am just taking small safety measures," Mark replied. Without warning, he opened his blade and jammed it into Paige's foot. Paige yelped in pain as Collins ripped the blade out of her foot and thrust it into her other one. Her screams grew louder. "There. Now you're not a flight risk," Mark chuckled. Anger boiled up inside of Walter as Mark stepped away from Paige. He walked up to Walter and slammed his fist into his gut; Walter doubled over and coughed as Mark made his way back over to Paige. "Now. To tie up loose ends."

"Mark!" Walter coughed, "Don't! You promised!"

Mark turned to face Walter as he picked up his switchblade. "Promises were made to be broken."

And then, a gunshot fired.

**~ SCORPION ~**

* * *

**WriterFreak001: **

Yes. I know. Another cliffhanger. I kinda struggled with this chapter, but I think it turned out all right.

Let me know what you think!


	20. Chapter 20

**WriterFreak001: **

So I'm snowed in… Here's the next chapter! (PS. I decided NOT to change the cover art for the story for those of you who follow my blog a-beautiful-mind-wf001 on Tumblr).

Sorry for the delay; I wanted to rest my wrists and brainstorm! :) Prepared to be amazed. Maybe. We'll see.

* * *

**Title** | Mind Games

**Fandom** | _Scorpion_ (CBS)

**Description** | Post-Deception. Four months passed since the ending of "Deception," and it seemed as though life, for the most part, returned to normal for Team Scorpion. Walter and Paige were given a chance to focus on their relationship in the midst of all of the cases that were assigned to the team. However, eventually, all great things must end, and once again, Team Scorpion will have to deal with an even bigger opponent than the Leviathan Mafia. Mark Collins is back for revenge and will have something big in store for Walter – something even the 197 IQ genius might not be able to see coming. And Collins's return just might cause a rift within the Scorpion family in the process, making it next to impossible for them to beat his ultimate game.

**Rating**| This fanfiction will be rated T for violence, obscene language, sexual themes as well as brain stuff and fluff.

**POV** | Limited Third Person

**Disclaimer** | While CBS owns _**Scorpion**_, I am the owner of this masterpiece.

**Claimer** | I am human; there are bound to be mistakes. If you feel like something _should_ be changed, you have the power to send me a review/private message. I can't guarantee if I'll change it every time, but I do read all of my reviews and all of my private messages!

* * *

**Mind Games**

**Sequel to**_** Deception**_

**Written by WriterFreak001**

**Chapter 20**

**~ S****CORPION ~**

Walter's eyes flickered open, and he found himself laying in a hospital bed with a bandage wrapped tightly around his left arm. He groaned as someone – Cabe – walked into the room and flipped on the lights. "Is that really necessary?"

"Good morning to you, too, 197." Cabe rolled his eyes as he made his way over to Walter. "How's the noggin feeling?"

"What do you mean?" Walter lifted an eyebrow. "Other than a splitting headache and pain in my arm, I feel fine. Why?"

"What's the last thing you remember?" Cabe asked as he took a seat next to Walter's hospital bed.

Walter closed his eyes and focused on his last memory. "I was confronting Mark Collins…," His eyes popped open, "Where's Paige?!"

"Relax, kid. Paige is fine; she's in the surgery recovery room, and everything is stable." Cabe placed a hand on Walter's shoulder. Walter tried to push himself off the bed, but Cabe _gently _slammed him backwards. "Oh no you don't. You're staying right here."

"If you think I'm going t—"

"I told you, Paige is fine, Walter. In ten minutes, they'll be transporting her from the recovery wing to this room so you'll be able to see her soon." When Walter stopped struggling against Cabe, the agent removed his hand and folded his arms in front of him.

Walter glanced at Cabe. "The baby?"

"Healthy," Cabe grinned.

Walter released a sigh. "Thank God."

"Now, indulge me. What do you remember, Walter?" Cabe pressed.

"The last thing I remember was hearing a gunshot shortly after Mark rammed his fist into my stomach." Walter sighed, "If you're trying to find out what happened, I can't help you. I blacked out."

"The gunshot you heard made its mark, _pun intended_, and the bullet severed Collins's leg – the one that _wasn't _shot the _last _time we encountered him. I can't fill in the blanks between the time SWAT shot him and the time I arrived, but when I found you, you had been knocked out and was on the ground next to Paige; she was passed out, but who could blame her after everything she's gone through. Anyway, my best guess is that you rushed over to Paige after we took out Mark to inspect her wounds; then, Mark must have shot you from behind – because that's where the entry of the wound is – before giving you a good whack in the head with his firearm, rendering you unconscious. He was just about to fire his weapon at Paige when I snuck up on him from behind and gave him the same medicine he had given you. And don't worry, that SOB will be incarcerated in a solitary confinement cell at a prison facility in Hawaii so unless he has gills, he won't be a problem anymore."

Walter lifted an eyebrow. "So he won't be treated at a mental facility?"

"Hell no," Cabe shook his head. "That man's too damn crazy for the crazies."

"I'll drink to that!" Toby exclaimed as he walked into the room. Happy followed in tow.

"You moron; you can't drink alcohol in a hospital." Happy snapped as she folded her arms in front of her before turning to Walter. "Hi Walter."

"Happy." Walter nodded.

"I was _speaking _metaphorically!" Toby threw his hands up and rolled his eyes before turning his attention to Walter as well. "I know this might be awkward," Toby lowered his arms, "but the next time you decide to open Scorpion's doors to another mentally enabled person who isn't a kid like Ralph, send them to me for in-depth psych evaluations."

"Dually noted," Walter tapped his temple as Cabe handed him a glass of water. "For once, I actually condone your methods, Toby."

"Never thought I'd hear _that _from you, Walter." Toby chuckled and sat down in one of the chairs in Walter's room. He crossed his legs and webbed his fingers behind his head. "I'm not objected to Homeland purchasing us a polygraph either – you know, as a failsafe. You never can be too careful these days – especially since we have a little Waige Junior rolling down the tube."

Walter turned and spat out the water he had intended to swallow as Happy gave Toby a high-five. Cabe shook his head in dismay as he took out his handkerchief and wiped his face off. "I'm going to go to the cafeteria and grab me some coffee." Cabe said as he looked at his watch. "Happy. Toby. You're coming too."

"But we just got here!" Toby griped as he folded his arms in front of him. Happy, however, complied.

"And I can suspend your paycheck." Cabe lifted an eyebrow and crossed his arms.

"Then what are we waiting around here for?" Toby automatically rose to his feet and walked towards Cabe. "Come on! Let's go!" Toby stepped past Cabe and squeezed between the agent and the doorframe. Happy followed, and Cabe turned towards Walter.

"I'll be sure to keep them occupied until you've had some time to rest. By the way," Cabe took one step out the door, "I have a guy picking up Sylvester and Ralph from the garage. They should be here in half an hour."

"Okay. Thanks," Walter nodded as the man disappeared. For the next several minutes, Walter stared at the clock and calculated various coterminal angles as he waited for Paige.

A few minutes later, "Mr. O'Brien?"

Walter snapped his attention towards the door. A nurse was standing in the doorway with a clipboard under her arm. "In a minute, we'll be bringing Miss Dineen in here; she's awake, but we haven't been able to get her to speak to us. Maybe you'll have better luck. Another nurse will be in here shortly to unhook you from the machines. Once you've completed some paperwork, you'll be free to leave the hospital."

"Okay." The nurse started to leave. "Um…."

"Yes?"

Walter ran his hand through his hair as he asked himself what Paige would say in a moment like this one. "Th-thank you."

She smiled. "You're welcome." And then she disappeared.

A minute later, Paige was carted into the room by a team of nurses, and when her bed was hooked up and everything was properly running, one nurse stayed and unhooked Walter from the machines. When they were finally left alone, Walter pushed himself off of the bed and sat down in the chair next to Paige's hospital bed. "Hey," he spoke softly. He squeezed her hand, knowing Paige would be doing the exact same thing to him had he been in her situation.

She said nothing. She didn't even look at him.

"Cabe, Toby and Happy are in the cafeteria…, and an agent is escorting Sylvester and Ralph to the hospital. They'll be here in about twenty minutes…. Ralph will want to see you; he's been worried sick about you…. We all have." Walter muttered, hoping he would get a response out of her.

No response. She blinked, but that was all she did.

"Perhaps I should go and find Megan…; she can give Ralph and Sylvester some company until you're ready." Walter rose to his feet and turned to leave when her fingers tightened around his hand. He brought her palm to his lips and pecked a quick kiss against her hand before kneeling down to kiss her forehead. "I promise I'll be back. Five minutes. Tops."

It pained him to pull away from her, but he _did _think it would be best if Ralph didn't see his mother until she was in a more social mood. If she wouldn't talk to a guy with an IQ of 197, she most likely wouldn't converse with anyone else either. He bolted down the hallway in search for his sister and found her sitting in the waiting room.

"Walter!" She exclaimed as she pushed herself to her feet and hobbled over to him. "Thank God you're okay! Cabe told me you were shot?" She glanced at the bandage on his arm. "How bad is it?"

"I'll survive." Walter replied as she hugged him. "Listen, I need you to do me a favor."

"Of course. What is it?" Megan asked as she shifted her weight on her supports.

"In the next fifteen or twenty minutes, an agent is going to escort Sylvester and Ralph into this waiting room. I need you to keep them company until Paige is emotionally ready to see other people." Walter said as he leaned against the wall. "Can you do that for me?"

"Absolutely." Megan smiled. "How is Paige by the way?"

"She'll…be okay…eventually." Walter frowned as he recalled her not speaking nor looking at him.

Megan leaned against the wall too and touched her brother's arm gently. "Hey, what's wrong, Walter? I know when you're frustrated."

Walter sighed and closed his eyes. "I feel like I'm handcuffed again."

"Why?" Megan's eyes softened as he opened his.

"Because I can't seem to reach her…." Walter raked his hand through his hair. "She experienced a great deal, and because what she went through is all tied to her EQ," He heaved another sigh, "I can't seem to connect with her. She won't look at me. Nor, will she talk to me. She's conscious and fully awake," he forced a grin and nodded his head incessantly, "but," he started to shake his head, "I…," he pulled his face downward and groaned, "w-whatever's going on up here," he pointed to his head, "inside her mind…, I c-can't c-connect with it. My IQ can't… it c-can't connect with her EQ. I-it j-just c-can't."

"Walter," Megan frowned, "Take a deep breath and calm down. Don't discredit the progress you've been making with Paige in regards to your EQ status. It's in there, Walter. I know it is. Maybe the stress you've been going through is keeping you from accessing it; I don't know. What I _do _know," she squeezed his arm, "you're thinking about it all wrong. Don't try connecting with her with your mind, Walter. Connect with Paige with _this_," she placed her hand against Walter's heart. "_This _is how Paige connects with people – with you. With her son. So you need to stop thinking with your brain, and start thinking with your heart."

"That's an impossible and irrational scenario." Walter groaned.

"How much luck have you had with your way, then?" Megan challenged.

"Point taken, but what you're asking me to d—"

"What I'm asking you to do is to show Paige that you're there for her, Walter! You don't have to say _anything_; just show her. You've told me again and again how Paige is a tactile communicator. So...tactilate!"

"That's not a word." Walter deadpanned.

"I don't care." Megan retorted. "Now go. You've been here long enough. Stop sulking about your issues, and do something about it! And try to do it _before _I kick the bucket, why don't you."

"Oh, that's not funny." Walter pressed his lips together and frowned.

"Go." Megan pointed towards the hallway.

Walter sighed and left his sister in the waiting room as he headed back towards the hospital room. When he entered, he closed the door and glanced at his girlfriend. She was still catatonic, but she was facing the wall to her right as if she was giving him the cold shoulder upon his entrance. He sighed and walked over to her. "I'm back." He muttered as he webbed his fingers with hers.

He then examined the extent of her wounds. She had bandages wrapped around her head, her left hand, her feet, her legs and arms and her chest and back. Mark really had done a number on her, and Walter couldn't fathom what sort of pain she might be going through. He leaned over and pecked her swollen cheek as he considered what his sister had said. Paige was indeed a tactile person; he remembered the conversation he had with Paige almost a year ago when she told him that Ralph would sometimes claim he couldn't sleep and ask to sleep in her bed. While Paige had actually thought her son couldn't sleep at night, Walter knew it was more along the lines of Ralph wanting to show his mother that he loved her even though he couldn't process emotion.

Then a lightbulb went off inside Walter's mind.

Walter climbed onto the bed and rested beside Paige. With his fingers still laced with hers, he draped his arm over her side and clamped her against him. He kissed her shoulder before whispering into her ear, "I, um," he swallowed, "I'm here."

She slowly twisted herself around and pressed her forehead against his chest.

And then she cried.

**~ SCORPION~**

* * *

**WriterFreak001:**

I know this was another relatively short chapter (longer than the last one but shorter than previous ones), but I felt like I should end this chapter here.

Please let me know what you think!

PS. If you want to see the cover art I thought about changing the current one two, simply copy and paste the following link and fix the punctuation:

http:***SLASH*SLASH***a-beautiful-mind-wf001***DOT***tumblr***DOT***com/post/112385741418/teamscorpion-new-mind-games-cover-art


	21. Chapter 21

**WriterFreak001: **

I'm going stir-crazy here without me some promos and sneak peeks of the upcoming episode of Scorpion. I seriously need to know how all of these random promo pictures tie into the synopsis for the episode. Anyway, nothing new here soooo on to the story! I think this might be the last chapter for this part of the series. We shall see though.

* * *

**Title** | Mind Games

**Fandom** | _Scorpion_ (CBS)

**Description** | Post-Deception. Four months passed since the ending of "Deception," and it seemed as though life, for the most part, returned to normal for Team Scorpion. Walter and Paige were given a chance to focus on their relationship in the midst of all of the cases that were assigned to the team. However, eventually, all great things must end, and once again, Team Scorpion will have to deal with an even bigger opponent than the Leviathan Mafia. Mark Collins is back for revenge and will have something big in store for Walter – something even the 197 IQ genius might not be able to see coming. And Collins's return just might cause a rift within the Scorpion family in the process, making it next to impossible for them to beat his ultimate game.

**Rating**| This fanfiction will be rated T for violence, obscene language, sexual themes as well as brain stuff and fluff.

**POV** | Limited Third Person

**Disclaimer** | While CBS owns _**Scorpion**_, I am the owner of this masterpiece.

**Claimer** | I am human; there are bound to be mistakes. If you feel like something _should_ be changed, you have the power to send me a review/private message. I can't guarantee if I'll change it every time, but I do read all of my reviews and all of my private messages!

* * *

**Mind Games**

**Sequel to**_** Deception**_

**Written by WriterFreak001**

**Chapter 21**

**~ S****CORPION ~**

A few days passed since Walter woke up in the hospital, and even though he was technically released, he never left Paige's side. She was still pretty shaken, but at least she was slowly healing – physically _and _mentally. Walter had just woken up from a nap when he found Paige fast asleep in the hospital bed with Ralph sleeping right next to her. The boy had his arms tightly wrapped around his mother's form, and Walter couldn't help but smile at the sight. Ralph's EQ was vastly developing, and Walter was proud that he was able to connect with his mother in more ways than most mentally enabled children were capable of. And in less than nine months, Ralph will have a sibling with which he would be able to connect as well. As Walter watched the mother and son sleep peacefully in the hospital bed, he gently rested his hand against Paige's lower abdomen and brought the back of her hand to his lips.

Paige's eyes fluttered open and caught him staring at her as he absentmindedly rubbed his hand along her belly in small circles. "Hey."

"Hi." Paige gave him a small smile as he greeted her with a simple, chaste kiss. Her voice was still very hoarse. "How long have I been asleep?"

Walter looked at his watch. "Oh…, maybe an hour or so."

"Is that all? It felt longer." Paige muttered as she stared at the ceiling.

Walter inhaled a deep breath and let it out slowly as he sat back down in the chair next to Paige's hospital bed and leaned against the mattress. He stared at the wall in front of him. "I apologize for everything you went through a few days ago – had I kept a closer eye on M—"

"Walter," Paige closed her eyes and sighed, "Don't. I told you; it wasn't your fault. So stop apologizing."

Walter opened his mouth to rebuke her statement but decided against it. "Okay." He squeezed her hand and decided to change the subject. "So six weeks, huh?"

She nodded. "It seems that way." And then she turned to look at him. "Are you disappointed?"

He blinked. "W-What gave you th-that impression?"

"I don't know," She shrugged and looked at the ceiling again. "We haven't really talked…about it since…, you know, since the other day. I mean, other than receiving a status on the baby's health from the OB/GYN onsite and learning how far along I am in the pregnancy, we haven't really discussed anything about where to go from here." She finally met his gaze. "Do you…," she bit her lip, "Is having a baby something you want, Walter?"

"Yes, of course. Paige," Walter was utterly confused, "Where is all this coming from?"

She inhaled a deep breath of air and let it out slowly. As Ralph stirred in his sleep, she lowered her voice, "I've been burned once before, Walter; now, I can handle being a single moth-"

"Paige," Walter cut her off, "I'm not Drew, and I'm not going anywhere. Everything I have ever wanted is right here, in Los Angeles. I have no desire to be anywhere else." He brought her fingers to his lips and kissed them. "Okay?"

"Okay," she gave him a weak smile. He rose to his feet and leaned in to kiss her when Ralph stirred awake and complained he was hungry. Walter ruffled the boy's hair; just as Walter picked up the phone to order food from the cafeteria, Cabe stepped into the room.

"Just a head's up," Cabe stated as he folded his arms in front of him, "both of you will be needing to give your statements in a few hours; an agent from Homeland will be stopping by to collect them." The expression on his face softened. "Will you be all right with that, Paige?"

Paige shrugged. "It needs to be done, right?"

"Unfortunately, yes." Cabe nodded. "But if you need more time, I might be able to pull some favors."

"No," Paige shook her head, "The sooner I give my statement, the faster I can put all of this behind me."

"Are you sure?" Walter shifted his eyes towards Paige.

"Yes." Paige answered quickly. "I'm sure."

"All right;" Cabe placed his hand on Paige's shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze. "Hang in there, kid. You don't even worry about returning to work after you're better. Just focus on getting rest and taking care of yourself."

"I'll try," was all Paige would say on the matter.

"I'm gonna get a burger now; you guys want anything?" Cabe changed the subject and smiled.

"Ugh. No. / Yes. / Yes please!" Paige, Walter and Ralph answered in unison. While Paige was covering her mouth to prevent a wave of nausea from washing over her, Walter convinced Cabe to take Ralph with him for an extra set of hands. Ralph hopped off of the hospital bed and ran up to Cabe with a big smile on his face.

"Is that okay, Mom?" Ralph turned to Paige who only nodded her head in response as she lowered her hand from her mouth and leaned back against the pillow.

Once Cabe and Ralph were gone, Walter climbed into the hospital bed and splayed out his palm against her small baby bump.

"Does Ralph know about the baby?" Paige asked as she found his gaze and rested her right hand on top of his.

"I don't think so," Walter pressed his lips together. "Then again, he's a smart kid so he _might_ know."

"What about everyone else?" Paige inquired as she laced her fingers with Walter's and glanced at their conjoined hands.

"Yes. Well, not Megan. But everyone else does." Walter recalled the moment he had accidentally announced Paige's pregnancy and swallowed. "I might have unintentionally told them while I was under a lot of stress after being down the Rabbit Hole for almost an entire day."

"Which reminds me," Paige met his gaze, "How _did _you escape the Rabbit Hole?"

"I saw the pregnancy tests." Walter muttered next to her ear. "The realization of becoming a future father was what lured me out."

Paige smiled in response to his statement. "Do you…remember anything from when you were down the Rabbit Hole?"

"Bits and pieces," Walter glanced at her as she rested her head against his shoulder.

"Like what?"

"If you are asking me if I remember sleeping with you while I was down the Rabbit Hole, my answer, to put it simply, would be yes. But like I said, I only remember bits and pieces – mainly because I see the things unfolding around me differently when I'm…_subdued_." His eyes flicked towards Paige as she gave him a look of confusion. "When I'm, uh, when I'm down the Rabbit Hole, the things I experience…the sex…, eating…, wrestling with you…, they're like dreams. I can't really control my actions, but I can see what happens. But when I'm drawn back to the whiteboard, parts of the dreams dissipate, and I'm only left with glimpses instead of memories. Does that make sense?"

Paige nodded. "A little bit." Silence filled the room for several minutes until Paige broke it. "I've been doing some thinking, Walter," She avoided his gaze, "and I think it's time to establish some boundaries for Scorpion and the cases the team picks up." Walter started to talk, but she cut him off. "Let me finish."

"Okay."

"I understand there are certain cases that require a special skillset, but you and the other members of the team have to keep in mind that you're not superheroes. No one in Scorpion except for Cabe is trained for high-risk situations where the bad guys have guns and weapons at their disposal. In the past, Scorpion has taken a lot of risky cases that needed little to no tech expertise and dealt more with drug cartels and terrorists. You might disagree, but for some of those cases, Scorpion, in my opinion, really didn't need to be involved. It's one thing to take on a case and walk into a situation that wasn't part of the plan, but it's another to take a case in which you know is beyond your skillset." She twisted her body a little bit and planted a kiss on Walter's cheek. "Walter," she kissed his cheek again, "you are going to be a father in less than a year, and I would very much like you to be alive when the child is born. It's time to set some boundaries."

Walter's jaw hardened in response to Paige's statement; he knew she was right – that Scorpion was taking on unnecessary cases – cases which called for more brute force than a bunch of geniuses running around and calling shots, but those cases usually ended with positive results – even if there were a few injuries along the way. "Hey," she caught his attention, "I'm not asking you to stop what you're doing, Walter; Scorpion does amazing things, and I would never ask you to give up Scorpion. All I'm asking you to do is consider the level of skillset needed for each case; that's all. If a case seems too much for four geniuses and an agent, don't be afraid to request backup agents to take on the action-hero side of things while you and the rest of the team focus on the tech. Am I making any sense?"

Walter nodded. "Yes. I understand your concerns, and I will take everything you've said into consideration."

"Thank you," Paige leaned in and kissed him.

"Mhmm." He hummed against her lips.

…

They didn't talk for another hour.

**~ SCORPION ~**

* * *

**WriterFreak001: **

So…. This is not the last chapter. I came up with a subplot that'll keep this baby going for at least four or so more chapters (and no, it has nothing to do with the pregnancy!)

I struggled a little bit on this chapter, but I hope it came out all right. I know it is short, but I felt like I needed to give you guys a break from cliffhangers. ;)

Let me know what you think! :D


	22. Chapter 22

**WriterFreak001: **

That promo makes me even more curious as to how 1x18 will play out. So excited! :D

* * *

**Title** | Mind Games

**Fandom** | _Scorpion_ (CBS)

**Description** | Post-Deception. Four months passed since the ending of "Deception," and it seemed as though life, for the most part, returned to normal for Team Scorpion. Walter and Paige were given a chance to focus on their relationship in the midst of all of the cases that were assigned to the team. However, eventually, all great things must end, and once again, Team Scorpion will have to deal with an even bigger opponent than the Leviathan Mafia. Mark Collins is back for revenge and will have something big in store for Walter – something even the 197 IQ genius might not be able to see coming. And Collins's return just might cause a rift within the Scorpion family in the process, making it next to impossible for them to beat his ultimate game.

**Rating**| This fanfiction will be rated T for violence, obscene language, sexual themes as well as brain stuff and fluff.

**POV** | Limited Third Person

**Disclaimer** | While CBS owns _**Scorpion**_, I am the owner of this masterpiece.

**Claimer** | I am human; there are bound to be mistakes. If you feel like something _should_ be changed, you have the power to send me a review/private message. I can't guarantee if I'll change it every time, but I do read all of my reviews and all of my private messages!

* * *

**Mind Games**

**Sequel to**_** Deception**_

**Written by WriterFreak001**

**Chapter 22**

**~ S****CORPION ~**

A month slowly passed since the debacle with Mark Collins, and Scorpion was as busy as ever. With Paige being ten weeks pregnant, she mostly stayed home because Walter was not comfortable having her accompany the team during their high-risk cases – or _any _case, for that matter. If Walter needed her EQ expertise on a case, he would have her wear a com device and communicate with everyone from the garage. For the most part, Paige was overcoming the trauma she had experienced from her capture, but every once in a while, she would wake up from a nightmare; however, those nights frequented less and less.

Walter took Paige's suggestion into consideration and asked for Cabe's advice, knowing the agent would be better equipped with providing a well-supported opinion in regards to the topic at hand. Cabe said it couldn't hurt for all of the members of Scorpion to receive some basic training, but he also made a point that most of their high-risk cases required years of training – not just a few months. With that in mind, Cabe agreed to talk with Director Merrick and see if Homeland could spare a few more agents on their more dangerous cases. When Director Merrick approved of Cabe's proposal, Paige was more than satisfied with the affirmation and thanked Walter for heeding her request later that night.

Walter made a mental note to heed her requests more often because her gratitude was _quite _rewarding.

"I've been thinking…," Walter mumbled as he stared at the dark ceiling, knowing Paige was staring at him as he spoke, "about a lot of things lately..." He turned to face her and propped his head up with his elbow as his other arm casually draped over her waist. "About a year ago…, I was, um, I m-mentioned th-that I was very f-frightened of the idea of a, um, of a long-term r-relationship, b-but after everything that's happened, I-I've r-realized, um, I've realized th-that I'm m-more afraid, um, more af-f-fraid of losing you... than of b-being with you…." His fingers slid from her waist to her hand and wrapped around her fingers. He slowly rubbed his thumb against the back of her hand as he continued to meet her gaze. "I'm going to be h0nest, Paige," he swallowed the lump in his throat, "th-this pregnancy has kinda thrown me in for a loop; it w-wasn't, um, it wasn't something I was expecting any time soon."

"I know," Paige nodded as her expression softened. "I wasn't expecting to be expecting any time soon either…. But sometimes being thrown in for a loop can be a good thing." She smirked, "It's the surprises that make life all the more interesting." She caressed her swelling belly, "Even the most surprising ones of all."

"Yeah. Of course," Walter quickly nodded in response to Paige's statement. "I agree. Surprises certainly bring upon challenges." He brought her fingertips to his lips and gently kissed them. "I never told you this, but last month, while you were being held captive, I had a strange but somewhat appealing dream about us in the future…."

"Oh?" Paige's eyebrows lifted. "What sort of dream?"

Walter debated whether or not he should elaborate but felt as though his explanation would be the best segue for his underlining query. "Um…, well, we were married…. We were expecting our third child; you were very, _very _pregnant. And we seemed very content."

"Sounds like it was a good dream," Paige smiled and hooked her arms around his neck, bringing herself closer to him.

"It was," Walter gulped. "For the most part."

Paige frowned. "Did something bad happen in the dream?"

"Towards the end, but I don't really want to go into detail. My p-point is…. Th-the good p-parts," Walter cleared his throat, "The good parts of th-that dream put m-me into perspective…, a-and it m-made me r-realize I w-want th-the life we had in that dream." He glanced at her growing abdomen and then found her eyes again. "I want all of it…with you."

Paige cupped his face as a single tear fell from her eye. She pulled him in for a brief, chaste kiss and threaded her fingers through his hair. "I want it too."

"Th-then s-soon?" Walter stammered; his brain was still trying to wrap around the fact that Paige had actually accepted his proposal.

"This month. This week. Tomorrow. Today. I don't really care," Paige smiled and then kissed him hard on the mouth.

He abruptly tore his lips away from hers and added, "You think Ralph would be okay with it?"

"Yes," Paige muttered and tugged on his chin, bringing him in for another kiss.

"You sure?" Walter mumbled against her lips.

"Yes, Walter. I'm sure." Paige whispered between kisses. "Now shut up so I can kiss you."

Walter hummed in agreement as she rolled her tongue into his mouth and weaved her fingers into his hair. Long minutes of heated pleasure passed, and as they stilled together, Walter muttered her name as his thumb swiped across her bottom lip.

"What is it, Walter?" Paige spoke breathlessly as he hovered over her and swallowed the lump in his throat. It was now or never.

"I want to adopt Ralph too."

**~ SCORPION ~**

Paige was totally caught off guard from Walter's abrupt statement; while she knew Walter adored her son, she totally wasn't expecting those words to squeeze their way out of Walter's mouth. But the moment he made his statement, she saw the conviction in his eyes and knew he was serious. A smile found her lips, and her nose burned as another tear fell from her eye. "I'd think he'd like that."

"Y-you d-do?" Walter's eyes lit up. "I m-mean; I've b-been doing some research, a-a-and once w-we, um, once we are m-m-married, I c-can ad-d-dopt him. Th-that is i-if he, uh, if he w-wants me to…."

"Walter," Paige pressed her finger against his lips to stop him from talking. "You have nothing to worry about," Paige kissed him. "Ralph has _wanted _you to be his new dad for a very long time. Trust me," she smiled, "he'll be thrilled."

"You think?" Walter swallowed audibly.

"No. I _know_." Paige muttered as she pulled him in for a heated kiss. "Now…. we should probably get some sleep." Walter rolled off of her and faced the ceiling as she rested her head against his chest. He reached for the comforter and draped it over their naked bodies, and she curled her leg around his shortly before both of them fell asleep. Not even an hour later, Paige woke up and had a sudden craving for glazed donuts. "Hey, Walter?"

He was sound asleep.

"Walter?!" She harshly whispered as she gently nudged him.

"Hm?" Walter opened one eye.

"Do we have any glazed donuts in either of the fridges?" Paige's query caused him to lift an eyebrow.

"No. I don't think so. Why?" Walter asked as she pulled away from him and started to slide off of the bed. "Where are you going?"

"I'm in the mood for some glazed donuts; if we don't have any, then I'm going to go to the store and get some." She started looking for her undergarments.

"At…three in the morning?" Walter sat up; she could feel his gaze watching her as she moved about the room.

"When the baby wants, the baby wants." Paige shrugged as she pulled on her underwear. "Oh, there's my bra." she said and walked towards Walter; her bra had been tossed to the floor beside his side of the bed.

As Paige bent down to pick up her bra, Walter caught her arm. "You stay here. I'll go."

"Are you sure?" Paige asked as Walter slid off of the bed and searched for his boxers. When he found them, he slipped them on and nodded in response to Paige's inquiry.

"Yeah. Not a problem." Walter said and pulled on a pair of jeans before sliding on a hoodie and shoving his feet into his shoes. "I'm actually hungry too so," he smiled, "it's a win-win."

Paige walked up to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. "You're so good to me," she kissed him. "Now hurry back; otherwise, I'll raid both fridges and eat anything and everything I can find that'll satisfy my sugary needs."

"Noted," Walter replied as she kissed him again. Once she released him, he headed for the door. "I'll be back shortly."

"Bye," Paige waved, and after he disappeared, Paige looked down at her swelling belly and smirked. "EQ or no EQ, little one, your father's gonna spoil you rotten."

**~ SCORPION ~**

Later in the morning, after Walter and Paige had indulged on a dozen donuts around 3:30 AM and had gotten some more sleep, they made their way downstairs to see what everyone was up to. Sylvester was explaining one of his newest algorithms to Ralph at his blackboard; Toby was trying to juggle three oranges (and failing miserably), and Walter assumed it was because he was trying to impress Happy, who was rolling her eyes at the shrink's shenanigans while working at her desk. Cabe hadn't walked in yet.

"So," Toby smirked as he put the fruit down on his desk and sauntered over to Walter and Paige, "How's Waige Junior doing?"

"The baby's fine," Walter rolled his eyes in response to Toby's coined name for the unborn child as he rested his palms on Paige's shoulders.

"Um, excuse me," Toby raised an eyebrow and folded his arms in front of him, "But are you the host to a growing fetus, Walt?" Walter pursed his lips. "I didn't think so," Toby tsked and then looked at Paige. "So, Project Manager, how _is _Waige Junior doing today?"

Paige laughed and leaned against Walter as she placed her hands on top of Walter's. "The baby is perfectly fine."

"Right, well, I'll leave the two of you be; I'm gonna go and see if I can convince Happy to bare my children. She and I would make beautiful babies, don't you think?" Toby smirked as he took off his hat and tossed it onto his desk.

"No comment." Walter said as he and Paige watched Toby walk over towards Happy.

"This…isn't going to go over well." Paige noted as they made their way over to Ralph. Seconds later, they heard a loud smack. They turned and saw Toby coddling a red mark across his face; Happy was very, _very _flustered and appalled.

"Say that to me again, Doc, and your cheeks will be the _last _pair of body parts you'll want to worry about." Happy barked before returning to her work at her workbench.

Walter and Paige turned back around and headed towards Ralph, acting like the last few seconds didn't happen. "Ralph," Paige called to her son gently. The boy turned and smiled.

"Hi Mom. Hi Walter." Ralph beamed as he rushed up to them.

Paige rested her hands on her knees and bent down to her son's level. "Have you eaten breakfast yet?"

"No." Ralph shook his head.

"Let's go out for breakfast then," Paige ruffled Ralph's hair. "How does that sound?"

Ralph grinned. "I'd like that."

"Okay." Paige kissed Ralph's forehead and then straightened out her back as the boy grabbed her hand and then tugged on Walter's. He looked up at both of them and smiled.

Walter couldn't help but smile back.

And somehow, he knew everything was going to be okay.

**~ SCORPION ~**

* * *

**WriterFreak001: **

To answer any confusion (if there is any), yes, Walter and Paige are basically engaged at this point. While Walter didn't really propose in a typical sense, he still proposed to Paige in his own way, and she accepted his proposal. Now, will they choose to have an actual wedding or just have a simple court ceremony? And how soon? Let me hear your opinions; they might shape the next few chapters. :D

While the main plot is over (Collins), there's still a little somethin' somethin' cooking up my sleeve. Theories, anyone?

Let me know what you think about this chapter! Congrats! You get another break from cliffies.


	23. Chapter 23

**WriterFreak001: **

Nothing new here.

* * *

**Title** | Mind Games

**Fandom** | _Scorpion_ (CBS)

**Description** | Post-Deception. Four months passed since the ending of "Deception," and it seemed as though life, for the most part, returned to normal for Team Scorpion. Walter and Paige were given a chance to focus on their relationship in the midst of all of the cases that were assigned to the team. However, eventually, all great things must end, and once again, Team Scorpion will have to deal with an even bigger opponent than the Leviathan Mafia. Mark Collins is back for revenge and will have something big in store for Walter – something even the 197 IQ genius might not be able to see coming. And Collins's return just might cause a rift within the Scorpion family in the process, making it next to impossible for them to beat his ultimate game.

**Rating**| This fanfiction will be rated T for violence, obscene language, sexual themes as well as brain stuff and fluff.

**POV** | Limited Third Person

**Disclaimer** | While CBS owns _**Scorpion**_, I am the owner of this masterpiece.

**Claimer** | I am human; there are bound to be mistakes. If you feel like something _should_ be changed, you have the power to send me a review/private message. I can't guarantee if I'll change it every time, but I do read all of my reviews and all of my private messages!

* * *

**Mind Games**

**Sequel to**_** Deception**_

**Written by WriterFreak001**

**Chapter 23**

**~ S****CORPION ~**

"Ralph," Paige spoke after taking a sip of her water, "Do you remember when the three of us sat in this exact booth and discussed the new dynamics to the promise I made you after Toenail Tom was out of our lives?" She ruffled Ralph's hair as she squeezed Walter's hand from under the table.

Ralph nodded. "You and Walter told me the two of you were dating. Walter was having a burrito that morning. I was having pancakes, and you were having a veggie omelet. Walter and I played chess with the condiments as we waited for our food to arrive." He finally looked up at his mother. "Why?"

"Well," Paige touched her belly, "The dynamics are going to change again – in a big way, too."

Ralph looked at his mother and then at Walter. "How?"

Before Paige spoke, Walter cleared his throat. "May I?" Paige nodded with a smile and encouraged Walter to continue. "Well…," Walter raked his hand through his hair, "For starters, in approximately 30 weeks, you will no longer be an only child; so, um, there's that."

Ralph looked at Paige's tummy and then back at Walter before turning his attention to his mother. "I'm going to be an older brother?"

"Yes." A smile found Paige's lips as she confirmed her son's question. "Which…brings us to some other things we'd like to talk to you about." Paige added as her fingers combed through Ralph's thick hair. "Ralph, honey," she kissed the top of his head, "would you be disappointed if Walter and I decided to get married?"

"No." Ralph shifted glances between Walter and Paige. "Marriage is just legalizing the relationship you two already have, right?"

"Something like that," Paige laughed.

Walter chuckled lightly too as he leaned over the table towards Ralph. "You know," Paige caught him sneak a glance towards her, "once your mother's and my relationship has been sanctioned, Paige has the choice to change her last name to O'Brien. The baby's last name would also be O'Brien." Walter swallowed audibly. "And yours can be too, if you want it to be…, b-but I'd h-have t-t-to adopt you as m-my s-son first."

Ralph's eyes lit up. "Then you can be my dad, Walter?!"

Paige's heart warmed at the way Walter's nervous expression transformed into an uplifting smile. A tear fell down her cheek, and she quickly wiped it away, but she was sure Walter noticed.

"Yes," Walter nodded and reached for his water; he squeezed Paige's hand underneath the table. "Then I can be your dad."

"Mom," Ralph looked at Paige and grinned.

"Yes, sweetie?"

"Can you marry Walter today?"

**~ SCORPION ~**

Walter nearly choked on his water in response to Ralph's inquiry, and he looked at Paige, wondering what she was going to say. She glanced at him. "I don't know," she smiled, "Can I?"

Walter felt a jolt of electricity flow through his veins at the thought of being married to Paige by the end of the day. He quickly considered the pros and cons; it didn't take long for him to realize there weren't any cons keeping him from wanting to marry her. Before he could stop himself, he blurted out a yes, causing the woman in front of him to chuckle lightly as her thumb rubbed against the back of his hand underneath the table.

"Are you sure?" Paige blinked as her cheeks flushed with color.

"Let's do it." He quickly replied. "Right after breakfast."

Paige smirked. "Eager, are we?"

Before Walter said anything, Ralph excused himself to go to the restroom, giving the couple some privacy to talk. "Paige," Walter swallowed the lump in his throat, "I'm willing to walk into the courthouse today and have everything legalized effectively and immediately. Now, if, um, if you want a traditional weddi—"

"What I want, Walter," Paige interrupted him as she squeezed his hand, "is to marry you. I don't care when or how; I just want you. If you want to get married right after breakfast, then let's go to the nearest courthouse, and we can be married by lunchtime. But I know you, Walter. You sometimes have a tendency to rush into things without thinking; I just want _you _to be absolutely sure you're ready because marriage is a _big _thing, Walter."

"Paige," Walter reached for her hand that was resting on the table, "I t-told you th-this morning that, um, that I w-want a future w-with you…. I d-didn't go into detail this morning, but th-the d-dream I had h-had had a d-darker pr-premise to it. Not only d-did it sh-show me w-what kind of future I could h-have w-with you, b-but i-it, um, it also r-revealed to me w-what I, um, w-what I c-could be l-losing i-if…if, um, if I didn't g-get to you in time." He inhaled a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I don't want to have any regrets, Paige… i-if I am e-ever in th-that k-kind of p-position again – a-and _not _marrying you w-would b-be a big one."

Paige smiled, leaned over the table and gave Walter a chaste kiss. When she pulled away, she cupped his face and muttered, "Then let's get married."

**~ SCORPION ~**

Before the threesome went to the courthouse, Walter thought it would be a good idea to make a pit-stop, knowing a certain somebody would be able to help them put together everything they needed for a last minute wedding ceremony.

"Walter?" Paige glanced at him as he parked her car, "Why are we at Hetty's place?"

"She's resourceful," Walter shrugged. "Plus," he looked at the hoodie he was still wearing from early in the morning, "I think I need to be a little bit more presentable before we go to the courthouse…, and I don't really want to go to the garage and be grilled with questions as to why I'm trying to smuggle a nicer ensemble into the car."

"Good point." Paige nodded before turning in her seat to capture her son's attention. "Ralph, do you mind if we delay our trip to the courthouse for half an hour?" He shook his head. "Okay," she smiled. "Let's get out of the car then." As Walter and Paige climbed out of Paige's Chevy, Ralph followed suit and hopped out of the car as well before the three of them walked into the boathouse.

"It's nice to see you two again," Hetty smiled as she walked up to them and shook their hands. "Oh?" She spotted Ralph. "And who do we have here?"

"This is Ralph," Paige smiled. "My son."

"Well, it's an _honor _to meet you, Ralph." Hetty extended her hand towards the boy, and he reluctantly shook it.

"He's a little shy around strangers," Paige squeezed her son's shoulders.

Walter took out his tablet from his bag and handed it to Ralph. "Why don't you take this and go over there," he pointed to a sofa chair, "while your mother and I speak to Hetty."

"Okay," Ralph nodded, took Walter's tablet and made his way over to the chair.

"He's a good kid," Hetty noted with a smile as she turned her attention back to Walter and Paige.

"He's very special," Paige smiled and laced her fingers with Walter's.

"Now, what might bring you two here?" Hetty lifted an eyebrow and folded her arms in front of her. "And without Agent Gallo too."

"It's not a case," Walter stated quickly. He was more nervous than he thought he was going to be.

"Oh? Then what is it?" Hetty's eyebrows lifted.

"We need to ask for a favor…. Well, a few, actually." Paige squeezed Walter's hand and spared him from the embarrassment of tapping into his emotions for the elderly woman. When Hetty didn't say anything, Paige continued. "First thing's first…do you have anything we could change into for a last minute wedding?" Walter noticed how Paige absentmindedly placed her hand against her belly, and he felt a sense of pride wash over him, knowing that the unborn she was coddling was his.

He noted how Hetty's curious expression shifted to a warm smile; he wondered if she spotted the unique position of Paige's hand too. "I think I might have just the thing for you, Paige." Hetty looked at Walter, "Where's the tuxedo I gave you the last time you were here?"

"Uhhh…at home." Walter swallowed. "I, uh, you know, this decision was all short notice…. I kinda don't want to go back to the garage if I can avoid it." Walter scratched the side of his face as he waited for Hetty's reply.

"Very well." Hetty nodded, "I have something you can borrow, but please have it dry-cleaned before you return it."

"Yeah. Okay." Walter raked his hand through his hair. "Thanks."

"Now, before the two of you change, I am assuming your ceremony will be a private one at a courthouse?" Walter and Paige nodded before Hetty continued. "Do the two of you know what you need in order to apply for a marriage certificate?" They shook their heads. "I thought so." She gestured for them to have a seat at the table; once Walter and Paige sat down, Hetty said, "First and foremost, usually courthouses require participants to make an appointment, but you two don't need to worry," Hetty smiled, "I have a friend who serves as a judge at the LAX Courthouse, and he owes me a favor. After some persuasive words from me, he should have no problem seeing the two of you at such a late notice on a Saturday. I assume both of you have some form of picture identification?"

Walter and Paige nodded.

"Good. Both of you will also need to know the places of birth for both of your parents as well as their full names, including your mothers' maiden names. I hope that won't be a problem." Hetty paused, but when Walter and Paige didn't say anything, she continued, "Next, Paige, were you married to Ralph's father at one time?"

Paige nodded. "Yes."

"And now the two of you are divorced?" Hetty pressed.

"Yes."

"Okay, you'll need to show the county clerk proof of your divorce with Ralph's father. If you don't have that on you," Hetty paused, "I can have one reprinted for you."

"No need," Paige replied as she dug through her purse and pulled out a tattered, folded document from its inner lining. "There's my official copy."

Walter raised an eyebrow. "You keep an official copy of your divorce papers on your person?"

Paige shrugged. "I needed something to remind me never to return to the kind of woman I was when I was with Drew…." She glanced at Hetty, "Do you think the county clerk will care if it has a few holes in it? I might have," she shifted her eyes away from Hetty as if she was guilty of something, "thrown a few darts at it once or twice."

Walter folded his lips inward to keep himself from laughing as Hetty unfolded the document.

"Perhaps," Hetty chuckled, "It would be wise to have one reprinted anyway." She folded the document back up and slid it back over to Paige. "You keep your memoir and continue using it for meditative target practice. I can have a new copy printed out in no time."

"Thanks," Paige grinned as she put her divorce document back into her purse. "Is there anything else we need to file for a marriage license?"

"Ninety dollars and at least one witness." Hetty replied as she pushed herself away from the table and rose to her feet. "But hold off on that fee; I might be able to get it waived, depending on how persuasive I can be. If not, then consider paying that fee my wedding gift to both of you." She pulled out her phone. "Now, excuse me; I'm going to make a few calls. I'll be back shortly."

As she disappeared around the corner, Paige rubbed her belly and leaned against Walter's shoulder. "Maybe we should invite the team…. I'd feel bad if we didn't."

Walter nodded, remembering the _last _time he had failed to consider the team when a local newscaster came to the garage and interviewed him about Scorpion. He quickly learned his lesson during the Mexico rescue mission that had happened several weeks before the whole Mark Collins debacle. Even Paige didn't appreciate the anchor calling her the super nanny; she eventually came around, but she didn't let Walter forget his error very easily. In some ways, Paige had been worse than Toby, when the shrink kept rubbing the local morning news fiasco in his face. "You're right. That's probably a good idea."

"Should we call them now?"

"No. Let's wait until we know all of the details first." Walter replied as Hetty reappeared.

"Okay," Paige smiled and kissed his cheek as Hetty sat back down.

"Good news," Hetty smiled, "My acquaintance can officiate your ceremony at eleven, which is…," she looked at her watch, "ninety minutes. However, I couldn't waive the fee so I'll pay it out of pocket once we get over to the LAX Courthouse. Judge Naylor recommends the two of you to arrive no later than 10:30 AM so that all of your paperwork can be updated into the system. I'm having one of my best agents deliver a new copy of your proof of divorce document, Paige," Hetty gave Paige a smile, "at the courthouse by that time. So, follow me; I have the perfect outfits for both of you, and if Ralph is interested, I might have something for him too."

"Okay," Both Walter and Paige said in unison as they followed Hetty around back. "Come on, Ralph," Paige called out to her son. The boy placed Walter's tablet on the small table next to the chair he had been using and made his way towards his mother. Walter quickly explained to him as to what was going on, and both geniuses were handed tuxedos. Walter stepped into the fitting room with Ralph and first helped him change, knowing that the first time he had worn formalwear when he was around Ralph's age, it was not an easy task - especially when dressing blindly and having no clue as to how men wear such formal attire. He straightened out the boy's bowtie, and after he sent him out, he heard Hetty comment on how dashing Ralph looked.

It took no time for Walter to change into the tuxedo, and when he stepped out of the dressing booth, Hetty smiled. "Looking sharp, Mr. O'Brien."

"Mm," was all Walter said as he fumbled with the collar.

"By the way, the boy went back to your tablet around the corner." Hetty said before Walter could ask her where Ralph had run off to. "Perhaps you should join him; it's bad luck for the groom to see the bride before the ceremony."

"I don't / He doesn't believe in superstitions." Walter and Paige said simultaneously. "On second thought," Walter realized he needed to pick something up, "I think I'll go ahead and take Ralph up to the courthouse," he said to Paige.

"Then how will I get there?" Paige asked as she poked her head out from behind the white trifold wall.

"I can take you," Hetty smirked. "After all, I need to be there anyway to pay the fee."

"Are you sure?" Paige looked at Walter. "It's awful early to be there so soon."

"I'm sure," Walter nodded. "While I'm waiting, I can inquire about the adoption process."

Paige smiled. "Okay."

Walter then turned to Hetty, "Could you do us another favor and find a way to convince Cabe to get my sister and the other members of Scorpion to the courthouse without mentioning the ceremony?"

"You can leave that to me, Mr. O'Brien." Hetty grinned.

"Kay. Thanks." Walter said as he started towards Ralph but paused when he remembered his bag that was still behind the trifold he had changed behind. He circled around the white wall of material and grabbed his bag; he began walking towards Ralph again and then paused. He was forgetting something else. He knew he was. Ah. That's right. Walter spun around and scrambled towards Paige's trifold; she was patiently waiting for him to return.

"There we go," Paige laughed as he leaned in and kissed her goodbye.

The kiss went a lot longer than he had anticipated. Hetty cleared her throat. "Time is of the essence today, Mr. O'Brien."

"Oh. Right. Yeah. Okay." Walter stammered as he pulled away from Paige and awkwardly scuttled towards the door, beckoning Ralph to follow.

**~ SCORPION ~**

* * *

**WriterFreak001: **

I apologize for those of you who wanted Walter and Paige to have a traditional wedding; I just didn't think they were the type. Plus, if you think about it, who _would _they invite to a traditional wedding besides Cabe, Toby, Happy, Sylvester, Ralph and Megan? While I've set up my version of Paige to be a woman who has moved forward from her past, I don't know if the Paige in the show is any different. She doesn't speak about her past that much, and as far as we know, she hasn't reached out to any friends from before Scorpion. I feel like Paige spent most of her time working at the diner and at her second job rather than having a social life.

PS. I'm going to prepare your minds before I continue. I am not stretching this fic out to the birth of the baby. I am planning for a whole other volume (a different story but part of the same series) that'll focus on the majority of the pregnancy and the birth of the baby. That volume will not be worked on until (most likely) closer to the season finale because I want to wait and see if Scorpion will encounter another baddie on the show before creating my own.)

That being said, after this volume is done (probably has about five chapters left or so), I am going to put this storyline on hiatus for a while and focus on one-shots I have in mind or other shorter stories I am concocting. :) Needless to say this, but just because I will be putting this storyline on hold for a while after Mind Games is completed, it does not mean I am done writing Waige stories for a while. You'll get your Waige! I promise! Just from other stories that are not in conjunction with "Deception" or "Mind Games."

Anyway, let me know what you think!


	24. Chapter 24

**WriterFreak001: **

Sooo…. I got a second interview for a job! And to celebrate, here's the 24th chapter! :) If I do get this job, updates for any fanfiction I write might be scattered a little bit more. (Just a fair warning).

Fun Fact: Those requirements for the ceremony were legit. I actually looked up the LA marriage laws to find out what is required for a couple to be married in a courthouse in LA.

* * *

**Title** | Mind Games

**Fandom** | _Scorpion_ (CBS)

**Description** | Post-Deception. Four months passed since the ending of "Deception," and it seemed as though life, for the most part, returned to normal for Team Scorpion. Walter and Paige were given a chance to focus on their relationship in the midst of all of the cases that were assigned to the team. However, eventually, all great things must end, and once again, Team Scorpion will have to deal with an even bigger opponent than the Leviathan Mafia. Mark Collins is back for revenge and will have something big in store for Walter – something even the 197 IQ genius might not be able to see coming. And Collins's return just might cause a rift within the Scorpion family in the process, making it next to impossible for them to beat his ultimate game.

**Rating**| This fanfiction will be rated T for violence, obscene language, sexual themes as well as brain stuff and fluff.

**POV** | Limited Third Person

**Disclaimer** | While CBS owns _**Scorpion**_, I am the owner of this masterpiece.

**Claimer** | I am human; there are bound to be mistakes. If you feel like something _should_ be changed, you have the power to send me a review/private message. I can't guarantee if I'll change it every time, but I do read all of my reviews and all of my private messages!

* * *

**Mind Games**

**Sequel to**_** Deception**_

**Written by WriterFreak001**

**Chapter 24**

**~ S****CORPION ~**

After Walter made a pit stop on the way to the courthouse, he hacked into the DOT from his tablet and showed Ralph how to control and change the traffic lights. The length of time it took for Walter to get what he needed took a lot longer than he had anticipated; it was a quarter til 10:30 AM, and without commandeering the traffic signals, there was no way he'd arrive to the courthouse on time. He remembered the last time he had to hack into the Department of Transportation; it was technically during his first case with Paige. While Paige was going almost 200 miles per hour on their way to Klemmer Airfield, Walter was only driving ten miles over the speed limit; he wouldn't dare drive that fast with Ralph in the car.

The arrived at the courthouse by 10:25 AM, and Walter was somewhat grateful that Paige and Hetty hadn't arrived yet; he didn't want to explain as to why he was almost late. It would blow his cover. He placed his hand on Ralph's shoulder and guided the boy to the waiting area. To keep Ralph occupied, he gave him his tablet again and then sat down next to him.

"Hey, Walter?"

"Yeah?" Walter looked at the boy as he folded his hands together and propped his elbows on his knees.

"After the ceremony, how long will it be until you can adopt me?" Ralph asked as he leaned back against his seat and twirled his thumbs in circles.

"Well, it'll take a few months for everything to be processed, so it'll be a little while…." Walter raked his hand through his hair. Walter noticed Ralph's frustrated expression. "Hey," he ruffled the boy's hair, "Just because the paperwork will take some time, it, um, it d-doesn't mean a-anything. I've a-always cons-s-sidered you and your mother as p-part of, um, as part of m-my f-family ever since… s-since we've met." The boy finally looked at him. "Adoption is a-all legalities, giving me the _right_ to, um, to be your _new_ f-father in the eyes of the law. B-but as f-far as, um, as far as I'm concerned, the l-law c-can't stop me, um, w-well, it c-can't stop me from," Walter gulped and tugged on his collar, "f-from w-wanting to b-b-be your d-dad today."

Ralph beamed at the 197 IQ genius and surprised Walter with a tight embrace. Before the boy could say anything, the doors to the courthouse opened, and Paige walked in, followed by Hetty. Paige, even covered with a long, velvet coat to hide whatever dress Hetty had given her, was stunning. Her hair was pinned up, and the diamond earrings and necklace she was wearing perfectly adorned her complexion. Her lips were bright red, and her makeup complimented her subtle beauty. He had almost forgotten how to breathe as she walked up to him. He was so focused on Paige that he didn't even see Hetty stepping to the side to talk to someone.

"Hi Mom." Ralph grinned and hugged his mother.

"Hey, Sweetie." Paige wrapped her arms around Ralph's small body and squeezed him against her. "Do you mind staying here while Walter and I speak with the county clerk before the ceremony?"

Ralph shook his head as Hetty captured everyone's attention. "I have just received your proof of divorce document, Paige," Hetty handed Paige the sheet of paper and then continued, "I've also already paid the fee so the two of you are free to speak with the county clerk whenever you're ready. You'll also get a choice to walk down the aisle, Paige, if you want."

"Thank you for everything you've done," Paige smiled at Hetty. The elderly woman extended her hand, but Paige bent down and gave her a hug instead. Hetty was first surprised by the sudden gesture, but grinned and returned her embrace. She then shook Walter's hand and said she would keep an eye on Ralph. Paige turned to Walter and took his hand. "Are you ready?"

"Yes," Walter nearly exclaimed, causing Paige to laugh as they started their way towards the county clerk's office. "By the way, did Hetty ever call Cabe?"

"No," Paige shook her head. "But she did say she had it covered. She's having an agent pick your sister up from the hospital; your sister has already been instructed to wear a formal gown. I don't know how Hetty convinced her, but somehow she did."

Interesting. "Okay."

**~ SCORPION ~**

Cabe was wondering what was taking Walter and Paige so long to return with Ralph; he had arrived at the garage, wanting to speak with 197 about designing a new facial recognition program for Homeland but was informed that his favorite threesome – soon-to-be foursome – went out for breakfast. That was almost two hours ago. Suddenly, his phone rang. "That's odd…," he muttered, wondering why Hetty Lang, from the NCIS branch, was calling him. "Agent Gallo."

"_It's been a while, Cabe_." Hetty greeted him.

"Is there something wrong?" Cabe was always quick to jump to conclusions – especially if it had something to do with his team. Why else would Hetty be calling him?

"_NCIS could use Scorpion's help on a case at the LAX Courthouse; details will be given once you get here. Have your team – or whoever is available – come to the courthouse by 11 AM, dressed in formalwear. They'll be going undercover as witnesses to a marriage ceremony; the couple getting married is very well aware that they'll be having extra guests at their wedding. Anyway, time is of the essence so I won't keep you on your phone." _

"Hetty, you're not making a lick of sense…." Cabe scratched his head. "What good would a bunch of geniuses do for a wedding? Besides, two members of team are currently A.W.O.L."

"_11 AM, Cabe. 11 AM." _And then the line went dead.

"Well…. That was weird." Cabe mumbled and then exclaimed, "Suit up, Einsteins! We've got a case!"

**~ SCORPION ~**

Once the team was dressed in their finest and were in the van, Cabe sped off towards LAX Courthouse, hoping Walter or Paige would answer their damn phones. Homeland didn't buy new ones for the couple, only to have them frequently ignored.

"So, Cabe, why are we dressed like we own money and are headed to LAX Courthouse, for that matter?" Toby asked as he poked his head between the driver seat and the front passenger seat. "I mean, I'm all for looking sharp, but this all seems a bit fishy to me."

"Hetty wouldn't explain," Cabe replied with a shrug. "When we get to the courthouse, I want all of you to be on your best behavior. Hopefully, Mr. 197 will hear his messages and meet us there." When they arrived at the courthouse, Cabe spotted Paige's car. "Well, it looks like Walter might have gotten his fifteen messages after all."

"Should we bring in our equipment?" Happy asked as everyone got out of the car.

"Not yet. Let's just find out what we're dealing with first." Cabe ordered and then led everyone inside the courthouse; Hetty was talking with a few of her agents in the corner of the lobby. While he told the team to take their seats at the waiting area, he walked over to the elderly woman and folded his arms in front of him. "Care to explain what's going on here, Hetty?"

"The groom is in the courthouse, waiting for the ceremony to start. I think he might find it comforting to know that his _extra _witnesses have arrived. Mr. O'Brien is already in there as well; he can explain things further. And –" Hetty paused when Toby walked up to them, mimicking Cabe's stance.

"Scram," Cabe muttered at Toby; the shrink quickly stepped backwards. Cabe glared at him, and he heaved a huge, disappointing sigh as he returned to the group. "I apologize. You were saying?"

"Before you let the other team members into the courthouse, perhaps you should speak with the groom and Mr. O'Brien alone." Hetty finished her statement; Cabe nodded in response.

"That's probably not a bad idea. Do me a solid and babysit them while I'm gone." Cabe shook Hetty's hand and then started for the courthouse. He told the team to stay put. As he walked into the courthouse, he scanned the large room. First, he saw a woman sitting close to the front, but he couldn't make out who she was. He assumed she was a witness. He tried looking for Walter but frowned when he didn't see him in the other seats. He decided to make his way towards the front of the courthouse and speak with the groom. Halfway up the aisle, he finally looked up from the floor and saw the groom standing with his back towards him. "Well, I'll be damned." The groom turned around at the sound of Cabe's voice. "So _this _was what Hetty was concocting up her sleeve."

"Sorry for the secrecy," Walter scratched the side of his face, "To be fair, this wasn't something that was planned; it was a spur of the moment kind of decision."

"Where's the lucky lady?" Cabe asked as he searched for Paige.

"She's in the back with Ralph. I was instructed to stand up here and wait like a nervous fool." Walter stammered. "The county clerk's words, not mine."

"Are you nervous?" Cabe smirked and patted Walter's shoulder.

"As hell." Walter nodded with a gulp.

"Whoa, Walter?!" Toby exclaimed as he, Happy and Sylvester waltzed into the courthouse. "You're getting married, and you didn't even care to send me an invite!? I'm crushed."

"Pipe down, Doc," Cabe barked as the three geniuses walked up to Walter. "The case _was _your invite."

"Touché." Toby waved his hands in defense. "And here I was thinking this situation was fishy because the name of the courthouse sounds like something you'd take to help you go to the toilet more often during the day."

"Grow up," Happy elbowed Toby in the side. "Congratulations, Walt." Happy gave Walter a small smile. "Paige's lucky to have you."

"Thanks," Walter grinned anxiously, "But I think _I'm _the lucky one."

Happy shrugged. "Whatever helps you sleep at night, I guess."

"Don't you mean, _whomever_, Happy?" Toby snickered, receiving eye rolls from everyone. "By the way, Happy, pay up." Toby extended his palm in front of Happy. Happy heaved a sigh, dug through her pocket and slapped a roll of twenties into Toby's hand.

"You bet on me and Paige?" Walter raised an eyebrow.

"Yup!" Toby grinned. "And here Happy was thinking the two of you wouldn't get hitched for another two years! I had faith in you, Walt, though. I figured the two of you would tie the knot in less than six months – that was a little over a month ago."

"You guys are unbelievable." Cabe shook his head in dismay.

"Come on," Toby chuckled, "How long have you known us?"

Cabe decided not to answer Toby's question and focused on Walter; after Sylvester gave Walter a big hug, he turned and sat down next to Megan – the woman Cabe hadn't recognized from earlier. "So," Toby muttered towards Walter, "You think Paige'll get cold feet?"

Walter froze. Cabe quickly snapped him out of his trance. "Don't listen to that weasel." Cabe's glare sent Toby scrambling to find a seat. He turned back towards Walter and said, "Don't worry about a think; if I know anything about you and Paige, it's that she's crazy about you. She's been through a hell of a lot, and she _still _hasn't left."

Walter started to relax. "Thanks, Cabe."

"Not a problem." Cabe smiled and patted Walter's shoulder. Cabe turned to sit down when Walter casually called out to him. "Yeah?"

"I, um, I know I don't say this enough, but, um, I'm glad you're here." Walter scratched his head and pressed his lips together as Cabe smiled.

"Wouldn't miss this for the world."

**~ SCORPION ~**

Paige took off the coat she had worn to conceal her dress from Walter and hardly recognized the woman in the mirror. Her dress was a simple number, and it clung comfortably to her chest as it cascaded to the floor. The dress was soft and glittered much like the dress she wore on her first date with Walter. Hetty had even been kind enough to lend Paige a veil to complete the ensemble. She wondered if the beautiful woman in the mirror was the woman Walter saw every time she caught him sneaking glances at her. For the first time in a very long time, she felt beautiful in spite of the physical and emotional scars she received from Mark Collins.

"Mom?" Ralph shook her out of her reverie when he gently pulled on the train of her dress.

"Yes?" She quickly wiped the tear that had fallen down her cheek and looked at her son. "What is it, honey?"

"After the ceremony, do you think Walter would be okay if I started calling him Dad?" Ralph asked with ever-curious eyes.

Paige smiled and ruffled her son's hair. "I think he would like that a lot."

"You do?"

Paige nodded and gave her son a hug. "No matter what happens after the ceremony, Ralph, you'll _always _be my number one guy." She kissed his forehead, rubbed the lipstick off of his face and hugged him once more.

"Mom?"

"Hm?"

"You look very pretty today."

**~ SCORPION ~**

While there wasn't any music to accompany the ceremony, Walter didn't really care. He was as nervous as hell, and he had a feeling music would only make matters worse. He didn't even hear the judge begin the ceremony; he was too focused on the center aisle. He mentally measured the approximate length of aisle, considered the length of Paige's slowest stride and calculated the average amount of time it would take for – when he saw Paige take her first step down the aisle with Ralph holding her hand, he forgotten how to think, let alone function.

He had always considered Paige a beautiful woman, but she was absolutely breathtaking. Walter intently watched her slowly walk down the aisle with affixed eyes on him and gulped. How he had gotten to a point in his life where he was mesmerized by the woman smiling at him was beyond him, but if this moment shared between him and Paige was only a dream, it was a dream he wanted to pause, rewind and replay over and over again because he didn't want to wake up.

Ralph released her hand and smiled at Walter before leaving to sit down between Cabe and Hetty. Paige took Walter's hands in hers and never looked away from him as the judge started talking. Walter really wasn't paying attention to what the justice of the peace was saying, and, to be honest, he really didn't care. All that mattered to him was Paige; the rest was simply chatter to him.

Then he heard the judge say his name and ask him something; however, the words didn't translate so Walter stayed silent. The judge called his name again, but he felt like he was in a trance and didn't want to break out of it. Finally, Paige whispered his name and broke him from his reverie. "Huh?" He lifted an eyebrow at her. "What is it?"

"Say your vows, kid!" Cabe called out with a chuckle.

"Say my vows?" Walter repeated slowly as he glanced at Cabe before bringing his attention back to Paige. He forced a chuckle and muttered towards Paige, "What is Cabe talking about?"

Paige laughed in response to his confusion, but before she had a chance to answer her, Megan exclaimed, "Why do you want to marry her, Little Bro?"

"Oh. Vows. Right. Okay." Walter's ears perked up when he heard his sister's question and finally understood what the judge wanted. "Well, um…," He grew very nervous. He wasn't used to an audience whenever he conveyed his feelings to Paige.

"Walter," Paige whispered his name, "It's just me. Focus on me."

"O-okay," Walter gulped and squeezed her hands. "When I, uh, when I first saw you, I was fascinated with, um, with your tenacity for your son, Ralph; even when, um, when you, um, when _he _didn't connect with you, you didn't g-give up on him like m-many parents do with their mentally-enabled children. And after I hired you onto the team, you, um, you didn't leave." He inhaled a deep breath and continued. "In fact," he released a small chuckle, "there were some nights I couldn't _get _you to leave." She smiled in response to his tried humor. He also heard a few chuckles in the background. "Anyway, um, th-there, um, there was a time w-when I didn't b-believe in superficial things like, um, like love, b-but, um, but you h-helped me view the, um, the concept of l-love th-through a d-different lens and, um, and t-taught me how to c-comprehend it, um, with an a-a-analytical approach. Th-the w-ways you helped me u-understand EQ w-were often o-odd a-and inefficient b-but effective. And after all of those s-social experiments, I'm a b-better person. You m-make me a better person, P-Paige." He licked his lips. "A-a-and I c-can't, um, I can't fathom any future life w-without you…You are my constant, Paige."

He dug into his pocket and pulled out a velvet box and opened it, revealing a simple but delicate diamond ring paired with a gold wedding band.

Paige released a small gasp. "I thought you don't believe in those sorts of things."

"I don't…, but I know they're important to you…, and you're important to me…so…yeah," Walter forced a laugh as he pulled out the ring. "Um, here."

Paige laughed and whispered, "You're supposed to slide it on my finger."

"Oh. Okay." Walter cleared his throat and slowly glided the ring onto the fourth proximal digit of her left hand. He started to speak again, but the judge cleared his throat. "I'm on the clock, kid."

"Oh. Right. Okay. I'm done." Walter swallowed the lump in his throat as he found Paige's eyes again. Tears had fallen down her cheeks.

The judge said a few more words and then Paige released Walter's hand to dab her cheeks before speaking. "When you and your team waltzed into the diner I worked at, my first impression of you was not pleasant, but you opened my eyes and showed me how special my son was, and while that day had been a crazy one, I realized you weren't such a bad guy after all. Tactless, at times, yes, but I quickly figured out that you always meant well. The way you stood by my son meant a lot to me; above everything, you made Ralph a first priority, and that's always a plus in my book. And…, knowing how you treasure my son," she brought Walter's hand to her belly and smiled, "our child is going to have a loving father." She released his hands and hooked her arms around his neck. "I love you, Walter O'Brien, and I always will. No buts." She took the other ring that was in the box and slid it over Walter's third knuckle before taking his hands in hers.

The judged continued with the ceremony and the moment he pronounced them husband and wife, Paige grabbed Walter's cheeks, jerked him towards her and hungrily kissed him as cheering and whistling went on in the background. The moment the judge cleared his throat, Paige pulled away from him, and they directed their attention to the justice of the peace as he handed them their marriage certificate. "Mr. and Mrs. Walter O'Brien, congratulations." The judge shook Walter's hand and then Paige's, and as soon as he walked by them, Paige pulled Walter into another searing kiss.

"Hey, 197!" Cabe called out to Walter, "Get your ass over here and introduce us to your wife!"

"Okay." Walter mumbled against Paige's lips as he gave Cabe a thumb's up; he had no interest to follow orders, though. When Paige finally _did _pull apart from Walter, they met with everyone. Ralph caught Walter by surprise when he ran up to him and gave him a hug. Paige smiled at the interaction. "Hey," Walter bent down and ruffled the boy's hair.

Ralph beamed. "Hi…Dad."

Walter's ears perked, and he wondered if his mind was playing tricks on him. Then again, if _that _were the case, his entire time with Paige would have been a trick too, because with _his _luck, he shouldn't _be _so lucky.

"Hi…," Walter found himself smiling, "Son."

**~ SCORPION ~**

* * *

**WriterFreak001: **

Yeah. I suck at writing weddings… I watched three different court wedding videos on YouTube to get an idea as to how they were performed and what the judge would say, and then I was like: Pfffft! Walter would be too focused on Paige to even _care _to hear what the judge had to say….so yeah. I don't know if they actually let the bride walk down the aisle, but I thought it would be cute if Ralph escorted his mother down the aisle and hand her off to Walter.

I don't know if there will be five more chapters because I feel like this part of the story is winding down. There may be two more chapters, but I don't think there will be five.

Anyway, let me know what you think!


	25. Chapter 25

**WriterFreak001: **

Those sneak peeks were beautiful! It's nice to know that Walter does actually have fears! LOL He reminded me of Indiana Jones because like IJ, Walter thinks he can do just about everything – but snakes! XD

Also, I created a new WAIGE fan video. You can find it under my YT page "DreamWriter001." It should be the most recent video; It's called "My Destiny."

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**Title** | Mind Games

**Fandom** | _Scorpion_ (CBS)

**Description** | Post-Deception. Four months passed since the ending of "Deception," and it seemed as though life, for the most part, returned to normal for Team Scorpion. Walter and Paige were given a chance to focus on their relationship in the midst of all of the cases that were assigned to the team. However, eventually, all great things must end, and once again, Team Scorpion will have to deal with an even bigger opponent than the Leviathan Mafia. Mark Collins is back for revenge and will have something big in store for Walter – something even the 197 IQ genius might not be able to see coming. And Collins's return just might cause a rift within the Scorpion family in the process, making it next to impossible for them to beat his ultimate game.

**Rating**| This fanfiction will be rated T for violence, obscene language, sexual themes as well as brain stuff and fluff.

**POV** | Limited Third Person

**Disclaimer** | While CBS owns _**Scorpion**_, I am the owner of this masterpiece.

**Claimer** | I am human; there are bound to be mistakes. If you feel like something _should_ be changed, you have the power to send me a review/private message. I can't guarantee if I'll change it every time, but I do read all of my reviews and all of my private messages!

* * *

**Mind Games**

**Sequel to**_** Deception**_

**Written by WriterFreak001**

**Chapter 25**

**~ S****CORPION ~**

When everyone returned to the garage, Toby managed to convince the team to put together a last minute reception for the newlyweds. While Toby and Happy left to buy some food, the rest of the team was in no hurry to begin the reception. Cabe sat down to play a few rounds of chess with Ralph, and Sylvester invested himself into an engaging conversation with Megan. Walter and Paige, on the other hand, were upstairs in the loft, changing out of their formalwear – well, that was the plan, anyway. The moment they were upstairs and behind closed doors, Paige pushed Walter down onto the bed and kissed him hard on the mouth.

"P-Paige," Walter stammered against her lips as she started working at his clothes. He said her name again but was cut off when she rolled her tongue into his mouth. He quickly forgot what he was going to say. Her fingers weaved into his hair, and he found himself snaking his arms to her back where he started pulling at the zipper of her dress. A series of sweet nothings were spoken between the newlyweds as garments were slowly discarded and thrown about the room. Just as Walter unhooked his _wife_'s bra, a door from the lower level of the garage slammed shut, and he remembered his reasons for trying to dissuade Paige from getting too carried away in the bedroom. He tore his lips away from her and glanced at the closed door. Paige caressed his face and redirected his attention back to her.

"Me. Focus on me." Paige muttered and pressed her lips against his. He lost his train of thought and glided her bra off of her shoulders before tossing it to the floor. She hooked her arms around his neck and continued to kiss him as she slid her foot underneath the lip of his boxers and pushed them towards his feet. And then he heard Toby's booming voice calling for the bride and groom. Walter turned his attention to the door again.

"P-Perhaps, um, perhaps we should pick this up later?" Walter forced a laugh as he returned his attention to Paige. "There are people down there…."

"That's never stopped us before," Paige mumbled as she pulled him back into a kiss.

"That. Is…. True." Walter murmured as he started to fall under Paige's spell again.

And then there was a knock on the door.

Paige pleaded Walter to ignore their visitor, but when the soft raps sounded again, she gave up and rolled off of him. He, too, was agitated with the interruption. He slid off of the bed and grabbed his robe. She did the same and followed him as he went to answer the door.

It was Ralph. "Toby and Happy are back; everyone is hungry so Toby told me to fetch you." Ralph blinked at the sight of his _parents_.

"Right. Well," Walter gulped. "We're kind of busy. Tell them they can wait."

Paige wormed her way around Walter and corrected him. "What Walter meant, honey, is that we're changing clothes so it'll be a few more minutes."

"Okay." Ralph nodded and then left without another word.

After Paige closed the door, Walter leaned in to kiss her but she covered his lips with the tips of her fingers and told him she wasn't really in the mood anymore. He blinked as she sauntered away from him as her bathrobe fell off of her body. The way her hips swayed as she waltzed towards her side of the bed tantalized him. He wondered if she was teasing him on purpose. He scratched his head as he stared at her in disbelief; something didn't add up. "So…," he caught Paige's attention as she was re-hooking her bra against her chest. "You want sex and then seconds later, you don't even want me to kiss you. Am I missing something here?"

Paige shrugged as she tossed him his boxers. "Blame the hormones." He recalled something he had read in that pregnancy guide he had purchased weeks ago; while pregnancy can heighten a woman's libido, it can also dampen it without reason. This was the first time she was showing some disinterest, and he hoped, for his sake, that her lack of interest would dissipate by the end of the reception; otherwise, she was going to drive him crazy. "Oh, and," Paige was nearly dressed as she pointed at him, "you might want to go to the bathroom and…take care of _that_."

"Noted." Walter picked up his boxers and headed for the bathroom.

"Hey," Paige gently touched his arm as he passed her.

"Hm?" He scratched his ear as he glanced at her.

Her eyebrows lifted. "Rain check?"

Walter gulped. "Okay."

"Good." Paige smiled and then quickly kissed his cheek before whispering a rather lengthy list of wicked things she had in store for him that night. Her voice alone was sexually stimulating. Absolute torture.

And when she stepped away, he closed the bathroom door and then looked down to assess his _situation_.

That woman's voice was going to be the death of him one of these days.

**~ SCORPION~**

The reception wasn't a long one; after everyone sat down and ate pizza together, they dissipated into smaller groups and spent the next few hours talking; Toby, however, did his best to engage everyone into a game every once in a while, but for the most part, the reception consisted of food and conversation. At one point during the soiree, Paige dragged Walter away from the function and pulled him into the interrogation room before pushing him against the door and kissing him hard on the mouth. Their kisses were wet and messy but intimate.

"All right, you two," Cabe knocked on the door, "Either get a room or rejoin the function."

Walter pulled away from Paige and opened the door. "We're in a room," Walter deadpanned as he started to close the door; Cabe caught it, though.

"It ain't soundproof, though." Cabe lifted an eyebrow. "And let's not forget there's an innocent in the garage." Before Walter or Paige could respond, Toby clanged a spoon against his wine glass and called for everyone _including _the newlyweds to make their way to center of the office area. "Saved by the clinks," Cabe muttered as he turned away from Walter and Paige and headed towards Toby. Paige laced her fingers with Walter's and pulled him out of the interrogation room, quietly promising him a more _involved _session when they go to bed.

"Now that Happy, Sly and I have everyone's attention, we would _like _to present the newlyweds with our last minute wedding gift." Toby grinned as he folded his arms in front of his chest.

"Oh, you didn't have to get us anything," Paige blinked; Walter was as stoic as ever.

"We didn't." Sylvester deadpanned.

"Oh." It was clear to Walter that Paige was slightly disappointed.

"Not yet, at least," Toby chuckled. "Now, before you say _anything_, as Scorpion's best three musketeers – Sly, Happy and myself, we've been mutually thinking about this _gift _for a while but didn't really have an appropriate time to divulge. It was actually going to be a baby shower gift for the two of you, but now that you're hitched, we've decided to go ahead and prep you for what's to come."

"Get on with it, Doc." Happy muttered into Toby's ear.

"You have to take time with these kinds of things, Happy." Toby whispered harshly – loud enough for everyone to hear him. "Assume I know a bit about the human psyche."

"Toby, Happy and I have decided it's best to find our own places to live," Sylvester stated quickly.

"Way to go, Potato Head." Toby glared at Sylvester. The human calculator only shrugged in response.

Walter and Paige blinked. "What?" Paige objected, "You don't have to leave; there's plenty of space in the garage."

"Maybe, now, there is. But," Happy folded her arms, "there are limited guest rooms upstairs; Ralph currently occupies one of them, your future kid is going to occupy the second one and after considering the amount of se—" Sylvester cleared his throat and gestured towards Ralph. Happy corrected herself. "…the amount of _time _you two spend together, the chances of you producing more offspring within the next five years is well over 50 percent."

"61 percent, actually." Sylvester quickly added.

"That being said," Toby continued, "you and your growing family are going to need the entire garage at your disposal – at least for living purposes, anyway. We'll still be here until we've all found places to live, but once we do, you'll only have to put up with us during the daylight hours. So it's not like we're disappearing altogether; you'll still see us so it's not that big of a deal. Besides, I sleep on a couch; I think it's time I find me some great digs. And Sylvester's room is upstairs… on the other side of the loft; even though your room has been soundproofed, I'm sure the very thought of you contaminating things inside your bedroom gives Sly nightmares at night."

"It is…a little awkward." Sylvester nodded in agreement. "Once I move out, you two can migrate into my room to give yourself a _little _bit of privacy from Ralph and the baby. It'll be a good thing." Sylvester smiled.

"And no offence, but I just need my own space; it's been cool living with the three of you dorks," Happy glanced at Toby, Sylvester and then Walter, "for the last several years, but living in the trailer hasn't really been convenient in the past whenever I've wanted to bring somebody home."

Toby lifted an eyebrow. "Your trailer isn't that far from my couch, Happy; you could have _easily _asked me over, and I wouldn't have complained."

"I wasn't _talking _about you," Happy elbowed Toby's side. "Anyway, to sum things up, the three of us need new digs, and you guys need more space for your growing family. Us moving out is the most efficient solution."

Walter couldn't argue with efficiency – and if he didn't have to deal with Toby 24/7, he was all for his friends' plans to find their own places to live. "Sounds good to me." Walter said without much of a thought.

Paige glanced at him and then turned to the genius threesome. "If that's really what you want to do, then we'll support you. You guys are more than welcome to stay here until you've found places to live so there's no rush."

"Yeah," Walter nodded. "What _she _said."

"There might not be any rush," Toby chuckled as he eyed Paige's stomach, "But there _is _a deadline. Thirty weeks, to be exact."

"I guess that's true," Paige said as she leaned her head against Walter's shoulder and casually rubbed her tummy.

"Plus," Toby grinned as he placed his hands on Ralph's shoulders, "If the two of you ever need any privacy, having our own apartments will give us the chance to spend some quality time with Ralphy-boy and your future munchkin."

"Munchkin?" Walter didn't understand Toby's reference.

"Later," Paige whispered, assuring him she would clarify his confusion.

"While we're on the topic of wedding gifts," Cabe smirked as he walked up to Walter and Paige, "For both of your hard works, Homeland will send you anywhere you'd want to go for an entire week to celebrate your honeymoon."

Paige's eyes lit up as Walter blinked.

"Anywhere, anywhere?" Paige lifted an eyebrow.

"Within reason," Cabe shrugged. "We obviously couldn't get you into North Korea if you had wanted to go there, but if the government allows Americans to walk on their soil, then we can take you there. Of course you don't have to decide right away; you can wait a while if you want, but take my advice – if you want a honeymoon, go _before _the baby is born. Otherwise, you most likely won't have another chance."

"That's a nice offer, but," Walter glanced at Cabe, "aren't we needed here more?"

"Hold on," Toby cut in, "just because you're the boss, it doesn't mean we can't work without you, Walter. If it weren't for _us_, you'd probably still be down the Rabbit Hole right now. It was _my _brilliant idea to show you the pregnancy tests."

"Technically, Paige and the baby were the ones who brought Walt out," Happy challenged Toby. "You were just a conduit."

"Even when you insult me, you're hot." Toby smirked at Happy, and they started bickering back and forth about little things Walter really didn't care to listen to.

"Hold that thought, Cabe," Paige said as she pulled Walter off to the side.

"Something wrong?" Walter lifted an eyebrow.

"Your colleagues can man your company without you for one week, Walter." Paige muttered as she hooked her arms around his neck.

"Remember when I was incarcerated in Las Vegas? As I recall, the results were almost unfavorable." Walter frowned; the last thing he needed was another fiasco on his hands.

"That was over a year ago; they'll have Cabe with them so it's not like they'll be working blindly, Walter." Paige whispered harshly. "We are taking that offer from Cabe; it's too good of an offer to pass up, and I _really _want a small vacation before you cut me off of the cases indefinitely." She combed her fingers through his hair and smiled. "It's just one week, Walter. How much bad can happen in one week?"

"Infinitely too much," Walter deadpanned.

"Walter," Paige grabbed at his tie and yanked him down to her eyelevel. "You are not the one who will have to endure childbirth in thirty weeks." She lightly smacked his cheek. "We're going on a honeymoon, and that's final."

"Okay." Walter gulped.

"Good boy," Paige smiled and then gave him a quick kiss before pulling him back towards Cabe. "Don't worry; he's on board."

Cabe laughed and shook his head. "You two make one hell of a Yin and Yang."

"We sure do," Paige grinned. "We sure do."

**~ SCORPION ~**

Sometime later, after Toby, Happy and Sylvester retired for the night, Megan decided to approach her brother about the news she had learned during the wedding. She hobbled over to Walter, who was busy cleaning up the garage, and smiled. "Some party, huh?"

"It was all right," Walter shrugged. "Not one for social functions, remember?"

"Oh, I remember, all right." Megan laughed. "Especially the birthday party Mom and Dad tried to throw you when you turned sixteen. That was one hell of a disaster."

"There was a three-day science convention in Dublin over my birthday weekend; it's not my fault they didn't read the brochure I placed on their bed before I left." Walter crossed his arms.

"And how did that argument work out for you?" Megan chuckled as she lifted an eyebrow. "As I recall, you were grounded for a month."

"That's what _you _think." Walter smirked. "I _might _have hacked into the house's security system a few nights during _that _so-called imprisonment and recalibrated the codes in order to sneak out and go over to the local observatory…."

"I can't _believe _you actually snuck out!" Megan laughed and lightly smacked her brother's arm. "And you called _me _the troublemaker?"

"Yes. Exactly." Walter nodded and then chuckled. "Because I never got caught. You did…on many occasions."

"Well at least you can't go wrong with Ralph," Megan looked towards the loft where her _sister-in-law _was putting Ralph to bed. "You know all the tricks in the book so if he tries something, you'll know."

"More or less." Walter concurred. "But he's a good kid. The worst things he's ever done was recalibrating the digital display to a thermometer so he wouldn't have to go to school and accidentally stumbling onto a secret level of a video game that ended up killing two CIA operatives and one of their Intel assets. He's done nothing like –"

"Hacking into NASA for the sake of a blueprint?" Megan smirked. "Not yet, but I see you've been rubbing off of that boy so you never know."

"I guess that's possible, but unlike Mom and Dad, Paige can connect with Ralph, and he has me too. He's not going to grow up blindly as a genius and figure things out on his own – not like I had to do." Walter looked towards the loft and smiled as Paige descended the stairs.

"So," Megan shifted her weight on her supports and lifted an eyebrow, "were you ever going to tell me that your _wife _is expecting?"

"I was…going to…."

"When?" Megan laughed. "After the baby's birth?"

"And what are the two of you talking about?" Paige asked as she wrapped her arms around Walter's arm and joined the conversation.

"Walter was just about to explain to me why he hadn't told me about your pregnancy yet," Megan pursed her lips.

Paige shot a glance at Walter. "You hadn't told her? I thought you took care of that weeks ago."

"I planned on it…," Walter gulped as he scratched his neck, "But… I got lost in my projects… and sort of forgot."

"Same old, same old." Megan chuckled. "Never change, little bro. Anyway, I think I better book it so…," she glanced at Cabe who had dozed off in a chair, "perhaps you can kindly wake my ride up?"

"Kay." Walter nodded and left Paige's side to wake the man up.

"So how is everything at the hospital?" Paige asked as she reached for Megan's hand and squeezed it.

"It's all right, I guess. A little gloomy, but all right." Megan sighed. "Though, it was good to get out today. I miss spending time with Walt so I had fun."

"Well, when the time comes for me to stay home and keep this little one safe," Paige said as she prodded her belly, "I think Walter would be more at ease if someone was here to keep me company. So don't be surprised if I call you on the whim and ask you to visit. You'll be notified at least a day in advance so Walter'll know when to pick you up from the hospital."

"I'm perfectly capable of taking a taxi, Paige," Megan laughed. "Walter shouldn't have to wait on me, hand and foot…. You should the one that's on that receiving end. Not me."

"Well, we'll figure things out when the time comes; who knows, maybe I'll visit you instead." Paige smiled as Walter and Cabe approached them.

"Ready to go?" Cabe asked Megan as he pulled out his keys.

"Yep!" Megan nodded. She looked at Walter. "You take care, Walt, and don't get on Paige's nerves too much. And Paige," Megan grinned at her sister-in-law, "if Walt is being an ass, just call me up and I'll set him straight." Megan punched her fist into her hand.

"Oh, that's not funny." Walter faked a laugh.

"Maybe not to you," Megan stuck out her tongue before she turned to leave with Cabe.

As Cabe started his car, Megan looked back towards the garage and smiled to herself, knowing her brother was going to be okay once she was gone.

**~ SCORPION ~**

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**WriterFreak001: **

I think this is an appropriate place to stop this chapter. It is nearly 3:30 AM so I'm going to hit the hay.

Let me know what you think.


	26. Chapter 26

**WriterFreak001: **

All right, I believe this will be the last chapter for "Mind Games." I am far from done with this series, but I am going to take a break from the "Masterminds of Deceit" series because I want to wait a while to see if there's going to be another big bad in the first season. So there is a good chance you won't see another volume to this series until after the season finale. I will still be writing WAIGE fanfics, and I hope the ones I have in store for you are well-received as this story.

Anyway, I'll shut up now! LOL

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**Title** | Mind Games

**Fandom** | _Scorpion_ (CBS)

**Description** | Post-Deception. Four months passed since the ending of "Deception," and it seemed as though life, for the most part, returned to normal for Team Scorpion. Walter and Paige were given a chance to focus on their relationship in the midst of all of the cases that were assigned to the team. However, eventually, all great things must end, and once again, Team Scorpion will have to deal with an even bigger opponent than the Leviathan Mafia. Mark Collins is back for revenge and will have something big in store for Walter – something even the 197 IQ genius might not be able to see coming. And Collins's return just might cause a rift within the Scorpion family in the process, making it next to impossible for them to beat his ultimate game.

**Rating**| This fanfiction will be rated T for violence, obscene language, sexual themes as well as brain stuff and fluff.

**POV** | Limited Third Person

**Disclaimer** | While CBS owns _**Scorpion**_, I am the owner of this masterpiece.

**Claimer** | I am human; there are bound to be mistakes. If you feel like something _should_ be changed, you have the power to send me a review/private message. I can't guarantee if I'll change it every time, but I do read all of my reviews and all of my private messages!

* * *

**Mind Games**

**Sequel to**_** Deception**_

**Written by WriterFreak001**

**Chapter 26**

**~ S****CORPION ~**

A few weeks after Walter and Paige's marriage ceremony, they took Homeland's offer and spent an entire week in Ireland; Walter, at first, was against the idea of returning to his native country, but Paige _really _wanted to see where he grew up, and the last thing he wanted was to start an unnecessary fight with his pregnant wife. They spent the first six days of their honeymoon in Dublin, Ireland, where they visited several historic sites such as Trinity College, Dublin Castle, several churches and cathedrals (mainly for admiration of the architecture as opposed to any other reason) and spent time on the beach. Even though Walter was primarily against returning to Ireland for their honeymoon, he couldn't argue with the fact that it was nice to leave LA for a short while. And to _his _surprise, not a single member of Scorpion – not even Cabe – contacted him for any reason; he found it odd, but Paige assured him that everyone was just being considerate – something which he had a hard time accepting.

"So," Paige caught Walter's attention as she rolled up her white, silky camisole and examined her growing belly in the full-body mirror sitting in the corner of their hotel suite, "Tomorrow is the last day of our honeymoon…."

"It is." Walter walked up to her, and she leaned against him, placing his hands over her swelling stomach. "Why?"

"I was wondering…," Paige bit her lip, "if we could go to Callan…."

Walter was afraid she would ask to see his hometown. "I don't think that's… a good idea," he shook his head, slid his hands up to her shoulders and planted a quick kiss against the back of her neck. As he stepped away from her, she quickly smoothed out her camisole over her stomach and caught his wrist while she took a step towards him. He stopped walking and turned to face his wife. Her eyes were searching for answers; he had known Paige long enough to recognize her nonverbal social cues and knew she wanted something less evasive. "Let's just say… because of who I am… growing up was difficult, and I was glad to leave when I did."

"People change, Walter." Paige hooked her arms around his neck, "_You've _also changed; I think it's fair for the people of Callan to see the new and improved Walter O'Brien, don't you?"

"Not really," Walter sighed, avoiding eye contact with his wife.

"Hey," Paige brought her palms to his cheeks, "Talk to me..." Her thumbs smoothed out the skin underneath his eyes, "What's the _real _reason you don't want to go back to Callan?" Walter remained silent as he met her eyes again. "Walter?"

Walter inhaled a deep breath and released it slowly. "I don't really want to talk about it."

Paige removed her hands from his face and crossed her arms. "And why not? Why are you blocking me out, Walter?"

"I am _not _blocking you out, Paige." Walter grumbled as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Oh. Okay," Paige frowned. "So even though _you _refuse to tell me why _you_ don't want to go home for a day, you still seem to think that you're not blocking me out. That hurts, Walter. And after all we've been through, too." She circled around him and headed for the bathroom on the other side of the room.

Walter groaned and followed her. "Look, it wasn't _my _stupid idea to come to Ireland for this trip; I was content staying in LA, but you were adamant about coming here and dragging me around Dublin so don't blame me if I don't want to go back to Callan when you insist upon us spending our last day there."

Paige stopped short of the bathroom door, whipped around and snapped at him. "So now you're calling me stupid."

"I never called you stupid!" Walter frowned; he was getting a headache.

"Sure sounded like it." Paige crossed her arms. "If you don't want to go to Callan, then fine. We don't have to go there; I at least deserve an explanation, Walter!"

"Well, you're not getting one." Walter shook his head as he spun around and marched away from his wife.

"And why not?!" Paige pressed as she jogged past him and blocked him from going over to his computer. She was relentless!

"Because it's a sore subject for me, Paige!" Walter fumed as he threw his hands into the air. "You don't know what it was like growing up in a farming community and not knowing how to connect with anybody! Or, having fellow students laugh at you every time you corrected the professors!" He raked his hands through his hair as he continued raising his voice at Paige. "Oh, and my personal favorite: receiving blows to your hands by professors because they can't stand to be humiliated nor corrected by one of their students. The one good thing about Callan was Megan because she had my back through most of it, but when she got sick, things were a lot harder! I didn't _have _Scorpion when I was growing up, so when I couldn't rely on my sister anymore, I didn't really have anybody to help me figure the world out or make special connections with people I cared about. And you want to know the worst part of it all? There would be days where my father would look me right in the eye and act as if he didn't know me!"

"I'm sorry…." Paige's anger had dissipated, and she reached out to touch him but he pulled away. "I…I didn't know."

"That's right," Walter frowned. "You didn't, and I can't expect an intellectual inferior like yourself to understand, either." The moment those words flew out of his mouth, he instantly regretted it. Paige slapped him hard on the cheek.

"My mind might not be wired like yours, Walter, and I might not have had a crappy childhood, but don't you _dare _say I don't know what you went through." Her eyes started to well up with tears. "Try being on the other end of the spectrum where your child couldn't connect with you. For nine years, I did everything I could to let Ralph know I loved him, even when he never said it back. For the longest time, I thought it was something I had done to make Ralph so distant. Ralph, ever since he was born, has been my world, Walter, and I felt shackled every time I felt like my world was pulling away from me; until Scorpion, it was like everything I had done for my son wasn't enough. And for years, I didn't have anybody else – it was just me and Ralph, and we both had to make do with what we had. So, you're wrong, Walter. And…," she paused as tears fell down her cheeks, "maybe I was wrong too. Maybe you haven't changed all that much after all."

As she stormed away, Walter inwardly cursed at himself for being such an idiot. Thinking about Callan and all of the terrible memories of that wretched place reminded him of the person he was before he had met Paige; cold and callous. He had no excuse for the things he said to her, nor for his anger. He thought that avoiding the subject altogether would force Paige to drop the topic, but he had forgotten how obstinate she was. Walter groaned and raked his hands through his hair. If he had a coffee cup in his hand, he would smash it. He wanted to approach her and apologize, but he didn't trust himself to say the right things. Not while his emotions were running amuck. Walter walked over to the triple-paned, glass doors and opened them. He stepped outside, closed the doors and made his way over to the end of the balcony. Their suite was overlooking the beach, and he could hear the waves ebbing in the water. He glanced at the moon; it was a waxing crescent.

He remembered the conversation he had had with Paige many weeks ago about the uncanny relationship between art and science in regards to the universe. Paige was trying to show him how two different ends of the same spectrum are still interconnected even though they may seem like worlds apart. After minutes of rewinding and replaying that memory with his wife, he combed his hand through his hair and heaved a huge sigh. He messed up big time, and he hoped it wasn't too late to try and fix everything.

He walked back inside and found Paige in bed with her back turned against the side he had been sleeping on. He released a sigh and softly called out her name. She didn't respond, but he knew she was still awake because of the quiet sniffle he had heard when he stepped inside the hotel suite. He said her name again, but she still didn't say anything; she was clearly, very mad at him. He didn't blame her either. He swallowed the lump in his throat and pulled his shirt off before turning off the lamp and slipping into the bed. He stared at the ceiling.

"I'm sorry," Walter pressed his lips together and glanced over to his wife. She wouldn't acknowledge his apology. Go figure. "I should have just told you why the thought of returning to Callan bothered me instead of closing up and, um, and taking my pent up anger about that place on you. I, um, I k-know I can't rewind everything and take back what I said, but…, um, i-if you'd let me…," Walter gulped. "I'd, um, I'd like to m-make it up to you b-by, um, by taking you to Callan."

Paige slowly shifted in the bed and looked at him. Tears stained her cheeks. "Why the sudden change of heart; that is," Paige spoke coolly, "if you even have one."

He winced at her cold comment, but he knew he deserved it. "Because," he locked in on her eyes, "it's what you want, and…despite my mixed feelings about the place, I, uh, I want to give you what you want."

Paige sat up and pushed her hair back. "That's not what I want, Walter."

"I-It isn't?" But wasn't it?

"No," she shook her head and stared at the wall in front of them. "I mean, yeah, it would be nice to see where you grew up…, maybe meet your parents and gain a little bit of perspective as to what kind of life the father of this child," she rubbed her belly, "lived in Ireland, but if going there doesn't make you comfortable, then I won't force you to take me there. What I _want_," she glanced at him, "is for you to trust me with your feelings – old and new ones. I understand what it's like to want to keep the past in the past and move forward with life; I have scars too." He was sure she was referring to the debacle with Drew and with Collins. "And you already bear all of them. Walter," she reached for his hand and squeezed it, "I know you don't process feelings as well as I do, but regardless of that, your pain is my pain too. I didn't marry you because I wanted to do right by our child; I married you because I wanted to share my entire world with you." She scooted closer to him and placed his hand over her belly. "And you're not the only one who's at fault for this argument; I shouldn't have pressed so hard. If you weren't ready to talk about your past, I shouldn't have forced it out of you." She returned her gaze to the wall. "But what you said about me not understanding your feelings of isolation and frustration hurt me, Walter. You crossed a line tonight."

"I know," Walter inhaled a deep breath and let it out slowly. "What I said was uncalled for, and my anger was unnecessary. You were just…being you," He paused as she turned to look at him, "and…I can never f-fault you, um, f-fault you for b-being who you are. I had no reason to lash out at you like that."

"Don't kid yourself, Walter." Paige's expression softened, "You had reasons; they were just…executed poorly."

Walter nodded. "I know."

Paige leaned her head against Walter's shoulder as she kept his hand pressed against her belly. "I really hate arguing with you, Walter, and I know we don't do it often, but a line was crossed tonight. So what do I gamble on, Walter? How do I know more lines won't be crossed in the future?"

"You don't know, and I don't either." Walter answered honestly. "But…I do know one thing."

"And what's that?"

"The feelings I, um, I feel for you, Paige, are real. I can't promise you we won't have our arguments; that's an irrational premise. But, um, like, um, like today, I have substantial reason to believe we'll get past them." Walter muttered, causing Paige to slightly lift her head and look at him.

"How, Walter? How do you know that?"

Walter raked his hand through his hair and said, "Let me show you something." He tugged on her hand as he slid out of the bed. She complied and followed him to the balcony.

"What're we doing out here, Walter?" Paige folded her arms against her chest and blinked as he silently asked her to look at the sky.

"You once, um, you once told me that the way we see the sky is different but also the same. When I look at the stars, I see mathematics and science and equations and answers to questions in which scientists haven't developed yet. But," he paused and locked eyes with Paige for a few seconds before returning his attention to the sky, "When _you _see the night sky, you see things I can't register. Whatever you describe when you see the stars, I usually have no idea what you're talking about. What you pointed out to me once was that even though I see the sky differently than you; we still, in our own way, see something beautiful – _meaningful _– to us when we look at the sky." Walter gently turned Paige to look at him. He cupped her face. "The sky, in some respect, juxtaposes art and science, and as, as ridiculous and irrational as this about to sound, you and I are like art and science because we often speak a, um, speak a different language. Or, in more rational terms, you're EQ and I'm IQ.

"But like, um, like art and science have the sky," he nodded with a dorky, toothy grin, "we, um… uh…," he swallowed the lump in his throat, "w-we have, um, we h-have l-love, a-a-and, um, a-a-and b-because of w-what we have, um, we, uh, we are like two sides of the same coin…. North and south of the same compass…" He paused when Paige placed her palms against his hands and closed her eyes. She brought his fingers to her lips and kissed them gingerly. "Th-the reason I know we'll get past th-these, um, th-these arguments is b-b-because we make a b-better team together than when we're not. My IQ, by itself, makes me into a senseless p-person, but with _your _EQ, I am the b-best version of myself. I like being more human a-a-and –"

Before Walter could finish his train of thought, Paige grabbed his cheeks and kissed him hard on the mouth. "You talk too much," Paige muttered against his lips as she weaved her fingers into his hair and rolled her tongue into his mouth. Something possessed him to scoop her up into his arms and carry her to the bed after sliding the glass door shut with his foot. Garments were carelessly discarded, and the newlyweds more than made up for their argument as they made love well into the night.

"I love you, Walter," Paige muttered as she laid her head against his chest. He mindlessly combed his fingers through her matted hair. "And I meant it when I said 'no buts' on our wedding."

"And I meant it when I said you were my constant, Paige," Walter answered, receiving a kiss from his wife in response to his statement.

"I know you did." She kissed him again before resting her head against his chest again.

They started to drift off to sleep when a thought trailed into Walter's mind. "Paige?"

"Hm?" Her voice was groggy, but she was still somewhat awake.

"I'll take you to Callan tomorrow."

She lifted her head and glanced at him. "Walter…, we don't have t—"

"I want to," Walter quickly answered. "I w-want to share that part of my life with you…, and, um, eventually our child," he rubbed her belly. "Our future children, however many we have, d-deserve to know where I came from, a-a-and the best way for me to share that part of my life with you, is to show you."

Paige pushed herself upward and slightly hovered over him as she leaned down for a chaste kiss. "Thank you," she kissed him again.

After she pulled away and pressed her cheek against his chest again, he added, "How, um, how comfortable would you be to meet my parents?"

**~ SCORPION ~**

* * *

**WriterFreak001:**

So good news! I've decided to extend this story for a little while longer! :)

I really struggled writing this chapter because I wanted that argument they had to be authentic to their characters; I wanted to explore a deep-rooted argument between Walter and Paige because, let's be honest, what married couple doesn't argue? And they do argue on the show from time to time so I thought it would be good to include one; however, I also wanted to make it more challenging too.

Soooo…. What did you think?


	27. Chapter 27

**WriterFreak001: **

IT IS ALMOST MONDAY!

* * *

**Title** | Mind Games

**Fandom** | _Scorpion_ (CBS)

**Description** | Post-Deception. Four months passed since the ending of "Deception," and it seemed as though life, for the most part, returned to normal for Team Scorpion. Walter and Paige were given a chance to focus on their relationship in the midst of all of the cases that were assigned to the team. However, eventually, all great things must end, and once again, Team Scorpion will have to deal with an even bigger opponent than the Leviathan Mafia. Mark Collins is back for revenge and will have something big in store for Walter – something even the 197 IQ genius might not be able to see coming. And Collins's return just might cause a rift within the Scorpion family in the process, making it next to impossible for them to beat his ultimate game.

**Rating**| This fanfiction will be rated T for violence, obscene language, sexual themes as well as brain stuff and fluff.

**POV** | Limited Third Person

**Disclaimer** | While CBS owns _**Scorpion**_, I am the owner of this masterpiece.

**Claimer** | I am human; there are bound to be mistakes. If you feel like something _should_ be changed, you have the power to send me a review/private message. I can't guarantee if I'll change it every time, but I do read all of my reviews and all of my private messages!

* * *

**Mind Games**

**Sequel to**_** Deception**_

**Written by WriterFreak001**

**Chapter 27**

**~ S****CORPION ~**

As promised, Walter took Paige to Callan but was still reluctant to revisit people and places that were part of unwanted memories. The ride in the rental car was far from silent; because of their argument from the night before, Walter decided to go more in depth and describe his experiences in Callan so that Paige would be properly prepped once they arrive in his hometown.

"Are you sure you're okay with this?" Paige asked as Walter took the exit off of the freeway and then slowed to a stop to check for oncoming cars before turning right. "Because we still have time to return to Dublin if you're not."

"I'm fine," Walter faked a smile and glanced at her, noticing her slight disappointment as he returned his attention to the road. "I mean, it's just one day, right?"

"One day," Paige nodded as she laced her fingers with his and squeezed his hand. "Are we going to your parents' house first?"

"I figured it might be best;" Walter quickly nodded. Walter turned left and inwardly groaned; there were only three more turns before arriving upon their destination. "Otherwise, I'd get an earful from my father about being inconsiderate of my mother's feelings."

"Well," Paige blinked as she rubbed her belly, "At least your father recognizes the fact that you had a better relationship with your mother than with him. That has to count for _something_, right?"

"We'll see," Walter sighed and took another turn. Two more to go. "By the way, if my mother asks – because my father won't – we are planning on staying in Kilkenny for the night."

"You don't want us to stay with your parents?"

"If it can be avoided, I'd rather avoid it." Walter forced a smile before taking the second to last turn. The road was no longer asphalt; light plumes of dirt puffed out of the wheels and dispersed in their wake.

"Well, if your mother offers us a space in her home, we're going to take it; the last thing you need is another reason to push your parents further away. It would be nice for our child to have at least _one _set of grandparents willing to be a part of his or her life." As he turned down the road leading to his parents' house, she smiled. "Think of our child as…an olive branch…a peace treaty between you and your parents…where…maybe…you can give them second chance."

"I'm giving them a second chance by coming here," Walter replied as he saw his old home in the distance. "What they choose to do with it is their business."

"At least promise me you'll be on your best behavior and _attempt _to salvage your relationship with your parents. If you want them to see that you've changed, you've got to make an effort in showing them." Paige paused as Walter slowed the car to a stop and shifted the gear to park. The fields were just as grassy as they were when he was a boy, and the house looked the same too. The stone wall was still intact, the vines looked as though they had been recently trimmed and the farm animals were loafing around. Nope. Not much had changed since he left, and he was beginning to think his parents hadn't changed at all. "And besides," Paige continued as she unbuckled her seatbelt and leaned towards Walter, "you're not alone this time."

Paige pulled him in for a brief kiss. "No. I'm not." Walter mumbled in agreement, receiving another chaste kiss.

"We should get out of the car," Paige lightly smacked his cheek and gently pushed him away from her as she opened her door and stepped out of the vehicle. He shook his lingering thoughts away, took the keys out of the ignition and climbed out of the car. He closed the door and locked the rental as Paige interlocked her fingers with his; he slowly pulled her to the front door, wondering if it was too late to turn back around and speed the hell out of Callan. "Wait," Paige whispered into his ear as she took the keys, raced back to the car and unlocked it. He watched her pull out the trench coat she had bought the other day and slip it on. She closed and locked the rental, jogged back up to him and dropped the keys into his pocket.

"It's not that cold out." Walter lifted an eyebrow as she buttoned up the coat.

"I know," Paige laughed quietly and quickly kissed him. "I think it's best to hide the baby until your parents get over the shock of seeing you for the first time in more than ten years."

"Ah," Walter nodded quickly. "Good idea."

She grabbed his hand and kissed his cheek as he stared at the door. "You've got this."

"Right." Walter muttered but hesitated to ring the doorbell. As he reached for it, the door swung open, and his father stood in the doorway. Walter gulped and nearly froze, but as Paige squeezed his fingers, something compelled him to speak in his native accent. "Hi…. Dad."

"You have some nerve coming back here, boy." his father frowned as he crossed his burly arms in front of his chest.

Before Walter had a chance to reply, his mother called out to his father from inside the house. "Who's at the door, Angus?"

"See for yourself, Caitríona!" Walter's father hollered towards his mother and stepped aside from the door.

Walter's mother caught once glimpse at him and gasped before running up to him and giving him a strong embrace. Walter stiffened to his mother's touch but relaxed when he remembered Paige's advice in the car; he needed to _show _his family he's not the same Walter anymore. When she pulled away, she ordered his father to go to the market and buy more food. Angus muttered a curse under his breath and passed the newlyweds as he made his way to his car.

"And who is this lovely lady?" Caitríona asked as she gave Paige a quick onceover and then returned her attention to her son.

"Paige…, um…, m-my wife." Walter replied in his American accent as he shifted a glance at Paige and caught her smiling at him. He couldn't help but flash a smile back.

Out of nowhere, Caitríona surprised the newlyweds as she gave Paige a tight hug and quietly welcomed her to the family. Walter noticed the smile forming on his wife's lips in response to his mother's greeting. Caitríona's eyes shot open and she slightly stepped back from Paige and scanned her form. "Well, bless my soul; my boy's havin' a babe!" She gave Paige another hug and then invited both of them into her home. They followed her into the living room where she encouraged them to take a seat on the couch and then she took a seat in a chair across from them. "How far along are yeh?"

"I'll be going into my fourteenth week in a few days." Paige smiled as she unbuttoned the trench coat and slid it off of her body. She hung it on the back of the couch and plopped down next to Walter, relinking her hand with his.

"Is this your first child?"

"Yes." / "No." Walter and Paige replied in unison. Caitríona lifted an eyebrow so Paige cleared her throat to explain. "I have an eleven-year-old from a previous marriage; Ralph…. He's mentally enabled like Walter." Paige leaned her head against Walter's shoulder and added, "In a few more weeks, the adoption papers will be filed, and Walter will be Ralph's adopted father."

"Oh? Then have y'not been married long?" Caitríona crossed one foot in front of the other as she locked eyes on Walter, waiting for one of them to answer her question.

"About a month," Paige smiled. "We're actually on our honeymoon right now."

"And y'came to Callan of all places?" Caitríona was obviously skeptic. Walter couldn't blame her though.

"I wanted to see where Walter was from. We spent the last six days in Dublin and decided to come here next." Paige explained and then Walter continued. "Because of our jobs, we were only given a week for our honeymoon so we have to catch a plane tomorrow at 3 PM."

"Oh. That soon? You can't stay longer?" Caitríona frowned.

"No. Sorry." Walter swallowed the lump in his throat, unsure of what else to say.

"And what is it that you do, these days?" his mother inquired. Suddenly, the kettle whistled. "Hold that thought." She stood up and disappeared into the kitchen.

"Your mother seems nice," Paige muttered as she wrapped his arm around her shoulders. He naturally leaned against her and pulled her closer as he placed his left palm against her belly. "Your father… might need more time to adjust to your sudden arrival."

"More time is an understatement." Walter whispered and then forced a grin as his mother walked in with three cups of tea. After Caitríona placed two of the mugs in front of Walter and Paige, she sat down and sipped her tea. Walter then said, "My company, Scorpion, works for the American government and takes on difficult tasks not suited for average thinkers."

"Are you a genius too?" Caitríona directed her question towards Paige as the expecting mother took a sip of her tea.

"No," Paige shook her head. "I'm not; I'm the project manager and EQ translator."

"Oh? So what does that entail?"

"When I first hired her," Walter quickly glanced at Paige and then returned his gaze towards his mother. "Her duties ranged from filing reports, paying the bills on time and serving as the liaison between my company and normal people, but she mostly translates EQ related situations for me because I, um, I'm, well, I'm horrible at establishing connections with normals."

"And how's me Megan?" Caitríona asked as she placed her mug down on the small table beside her. "Are the doctors treatin' her well?"

"She's fine," Walter skirted over his mother's question, not wanting to dive into specifics.

"What Walter mean's to say is that Megan is hanging in there," Paige suddenly stated. "Her walking has worsened, but she's a fighter."

"Oh…. So her condition hasn't improved any."

"Unless there's a ground breaking discovery, it's not going to improve." Walter replied. Before he could continue, he heard the door open; his father started hollering for his wife to help him. When Caitríona left to help her husband, Walter glanced at Paige. "Why did you tell her that?"

"Because, Walter," Paige leaned up and kissed his cheek. "I'm a mother, remember? If something was wrong with Ralph, I'd want to be the first to know about it. Distance aside, she's still Megan's and your mother. She clearly wants to know more about your life since you've seen her last so don't block her out, okay?"

"Kay." Walter nodded.

"Good, now why don't you go in there and see if your parents need any help." Paige kissed him again, and he nodded once more before rising to his feet. "I'll be right here when you get back."

"Okay." Walter muttered before leaving Paige's side to head for the kitchen. His mother was nowhere to be found, and his father was busy hauling in the groceries, Walter cleared his throat, catching his attention. "Um…, uh, is, um, is there anything I can do to help?"

His father glanced at him. "Help your mother; she'll put you to work."

"Okay…." Walter sighed as his father walked outside. He heard a toilet flush, and his mother stepped out of the bathroom. "Um…. Have something you, uh, you need help with?"

Caitríona smiled. "Not right now, but your father might…. He'll be in the shed."

Walter released another sigh. "Kay." He jammed his hands into his pockets and stepped outside. He slowly walked to the shed and found his father working on the truck. As he approached him, his father shouted a string of curses and slammed his hand against the hood. "Um… Is something wrong with the truck?"

"Dammit, boy! What have I told you in the past about sneaking up on people!?" Angus jumped in response to Walter's voice.

"Sorry."

Angus sighed. "If you really want to know, I can't get the damn thing to run; it's been broken since harvest, and I can't really afford to get a new one right now."

Walter glanced at the truck. "May I?"

"If you must." His father sighed and stepped to the side.

Walter lifted the hood of the truck and examined the engine. It only took him a second to identify the problem. He rolled up his sleeves and walked over to his father's toolkit. He grabbed a wrench and returned to the truck. He tightened a few things and then said, "Try it now." His father walked over to the driver's side of the vehicle and climbed into the car. He twisted the keys into the ignition and fired up the truck. It roared to life; Walter saw his father sink against the seat with relief. As Angus turned the car off, Walter put the wrench back into the toolkit and clapped his hands together. "All right, well, if that's all you need, I'll, um, I'll get out of your hair."

"Walter, wait." Angus called out to him as he hopped out of the car.

"Yeah?" Walter turned anxiously towards his father. Perhaps a little _too _anxiously.

"Could you," Angus scratched his head, "show me what you did?"

"Yeah," Walter nodded. "I can do that." He walked over to the engine and spent the next thirty minutes explaining to his father what he did to fix the truck. And despite past grudges, the conversation they held about the vehicle was engaging; it was perhaps the first genuine conversation he had ever had with his father in his entire lifetime. To Walter's surprise, his father was actually curious about his life in America so he spent an extra fifteen minutes telling his father about Scorpion and about some of the cases they had worked on.

"So," His father spoke as he wiped the sweat off of his brow, "You're married, huh?"

"Yeah," Walter nodded. "Paige…, she, uh, she normalizes me. In a good way, too."

"So she's not…like you?"

"No." Walter shook his head. "She's normal…. Her son, my, uh, my soon-to-be adopted son, Ralph, is mentally enabled like me, though." He loosened his tie and wiped his sweat off with his sleeve.

"Have any kids of your own?"

"Um…not yet…, but we will in about 26 weeks." Walter pressed his lips together, wondering how his father would take the news of Paige being pregnant.

"Is that so?" Angus stopped what he was doing and looked at Walter. "Boy or girl?"

"Don't know yet. Too soon for the ultrasounds to pick up anything definitive." Walter scratched the back of his head. "Won't know for another month."

"You guys ever planning to visit?" Angus raised an eyebrow as he tossed his dirty handkerchief into his toolkit.

"Maybe…. Paige is, um, well, she's wanting you and Mam to be involved in our child's life; I'm, uh, I'm fine with it because, um, well, because it's what she wants." Walter swallowed the lump in his throat. "I'm, um, I'm also w-willing to let b-bygones be bygones b-because I, um, I don't want p-past history to h-have an impact on whatever relationship you and Mam want to have with my family."

Angus walked over to Walter and placed his hand on his son's shoulder. "Sixteen years have been good to you, boy. You're definitely not a child anymore." Angus glanced over towards the door to the shed and gave Walter a small smile as he retracted his hand from him. "You've got a visitor."

Walter turned and found Paige leaning against the doorframe with a smile on her face. Walter walked over to his wife, and she hooked her arms around his neck. "Seems like your relationship with your father is on a better track."

"Maybe," Walter shrugged.

"Well, at least it's a start," Paige gave him a quick kiss. "Your mother asked us to stay for the night so I accepted her invitation; I hope that's all right."

Walter turned towards his father who had returned back to working on things in the shed. "I guess. That's fine."

"Okay. Good. Now, while we're waiting to eat, why don't we unload the car; your mom said we can use your old room; it's been redone." Paige smiled as she pulled Walter towards the car.

"Kay."

**~ SCORPION ~**

Later that night, Walter and Paige were sitting in bed, working on separate things. Walter was on his computer, and Paige was reading one of the few books she brought on the trip. Walter was growing frustrated; while his parents _did _upgrade to Wi-Fi sometime within the last sixteen years, it was very shoddy, and it kept going in and out.

"Okay, this is just…depressing." Walter mumbled as he slipped out of the bed, walked over to his bag and sifted through his things.

"What's wrong?"

"My parents' Wi-Fi is outdated; I'm setting up a Wi-Fi Hot-Spot so I can actually get some work done on my computer. Tomorrow, before we leave for the airport in Dublin, I'm going to make an early trip to the local electronics store in Kilkenny and buy them a more reliable Wi-Fi modem. One that will never lose signal." Walter said as he hooked his Hot-Spot up and then made his way back to the bed.

"Seems like you're making a breakthrough if you're worried about your parents' technology." Paige laughed as she leaned into kiss him.

"Ehh, no; it's more like I can't stand the sight of pathetic technology." Walter grimaced as Paige kissed him again.

"Say what you want," she lightly smacked his arm with her book, "but I know you Walter. Just remember that." She slid off of the bed and placed her book on the bedside table. "I'm going to take a shower so you finish up what you're working on. When I'm done, the laptop goes away."

"Okay," Walter nodded; she leaned in to kiss him once more before disappearing into the bathroom down in the hallway. When his computer connected with the Hot-Spot, Walter pulled up Skype and called Ralph; it should be close to three in the afternoon in California. He was grateful when Ralph answered. "Hey, Buddy."

"Hi, Dad." Ralph beamed on the screen. Walter felt a sense of pride when Ralph had started calling him 'Dad' since the wedding. He wasn't even Ralph's legal father yet. "Where's Mom?"

"In the shower." Walter quietly answered. "Don't tell her about this, okay? She'll castrate me if she finds out I called you in secret."

"Okay," Ralph nodded. "But what does castrate mean?"

"Um…," Walter paused and asked himself what Paige would do. She normally deflected uncomfortable questions by changing the subject. "So, how is everything over there?"

"Fine. Other than a few cases, it's been quiet over here – nothing too major to be concerned about. Since they don't want to bother you and Mom on your honeymoon, they've been coming to me for help on the hacking front. It's fun to be part of the team – even if it's from the garage."

Walter smiled. "And one day, you'll be able to do the field work too."

"Soon?"

"No…. Probably not as long as your mother has a say in the matter…." Walter replied. "Anyway, how's school going?"

"It's boring." Ralph shrugged. "Though, I do engage more during recess."

"That's good." Walter nodded, "It's important to embellish your social skills; the last thing you want is to grow up into a socially awkward genius like me. Connections are important, Ralph. Remember that."

"I know," Ralph grinned. Ralph started talking about various things that had happened over the week, and the two of them engaged in a rather lengthy conversation. When Walter heard the bathroom door start to open, he quickly bid farewell to the boy and ended the call. He closed his laptop and placed it on the table next to the bed. As expected, Paige walked out of the bathroom and re-entered his old bedroom with a towel wrapped around her body as she clutched her clothes to her side. She walked over to her bag and dropped her dirty clothes into as her towel pooled around her ankles. He slipped out of the bed and walked over to her. Just as she slipped on her underwear, he slid his arms around her middle and splayed his fingers against her baby bump. He planted a kiss against the nape of her neck, and she leaned against him. "I just wanted to, um, to thank you for asking me to come back here…. I'll admit, I was reluctant at first, but I think…somewhere down the road… my parents and I will be okay."

She turned in his embrace and pulled him down for a gentle kiss. "You're welcome," she smiled and kissed him again. "I'm glad." She wormed out of his embrace and finished slipping on her pajamas, explaining to Walter how she really didn't feel comfortable doing anything in bed while they were staying at his parents' house. He had to admit; it _would _be too awkward, that was for sure.

Not long after he turned out the light, Paige fell asleep in his arms, but he couldn't compel his mind to shut up. He kept thinking about various things and knew it was going to be another long night for him.

**~ SCORPION ~**

* * *

**WriterFreak001: **

To answer your question, no. We are not done with his parents yet! This mini-plotline will be at least three chapters (if not more) long!

I hope you enjoyed this chapter. The next one will not be posted until Tuesday because I need to rest my wrists. By the way, I also struggled with this chapter because we've never really met Walter's parents so I had to make up their characters (and their names) as best as I could.


	28. Chapter 28

**WriterFreak001: **

1x18 "Once Bitten, Twice Die" was beautiful! X') I loved every second of it and have seen the episode six times already!

* * *

**Title** | Mind Games

**Fandom** | _Scorpion_ (CBS)

**Description** | Post-Deception. Four months passed since the ending of "Deception," and it seemed as though life, for the most part, returned to normal for Team Scorpion. Walter and Paige were given a chance to focus on their relationship in the midst of all of the cases that were assigned to the team. However, eventually, all great things must end, and once again, Team Scorpion will have to deal with an even bigger opponent than the Leviathan Mafia. Mark Collins is back for revenge and will have something big in store for Walter – something even the 197 IQ genius might not be able to see coming. And Collins's return just might cause a rift within the Scorpion family in the process, making it next to impossible for them to beat his ultimate game.

**Rating**| This fanfiction will be rated T for violence, obscene language, sexual themes as well as brain stuff and fluff.

**POV** | Limited Third Person

**Disclaimer** | While CBS owns _**Scorpion**_, I am the owner of this masterpiece.

**Claimer** | I am human; there are bound to be mistakes. If you feel like something _should_ be changed, you have the power to send me a review/private message. I can't guarantee if I'll change it every time, but I do read all of my reviews and all of my private messages!

* * *

**Mind Games**

**Sequel to**_** Deception**_

**Written by WriterFreak001**

**Chapter 28**

**~ S****CORPION ~**

Shortly after breakfast, Walter and Paige left Callan and made their way to Kilkenny, promising Angus and Caitríona that they would return before leaving for Dublin. The trip to Kilkenny was quiet but comfortable; Paige had fallen asleep, and Walter found the pattern of her slow breaths soothing to his ears. When they arrived in the city, Walter spent the next fifteen minutes driving through traffic on his way to the MacDonagh Junction in Kilkenny; he wondered if Toadal IT was still in business since he last lived in Ireland. Once he parked in the parking garage, he gently shook Paige awake and informed her that they were where they needed to be.

"How long was I asleep?" Paige yawned as she stretched her arms and arched her back as if she was a cat.

"Half an hour, give or take." Walter shrugged as he grabbed his briefcase and opened the car door. Paige reached for her purse, unbuckled her seatbelt and climbed out of the car as he circled around the vehicle to meet her. Once the car was locked, Paige laced her fingers with his, and he pulled her towards the parking meter, inserting two euros for three hours of parking. He knew their trip to the IT store would take less than three hours, but the meter did not accept anything under the provided time limit. On their way inside the shopping center, he was intrigued with Paige's reaction; she made several remarks regarding the building's architecture, and they hadn't even been inside the building for more than five minutes. As they walked up to the shopping center's map display, Walter swallowed the lump in his throat and asked, "While we're, um, while we're here, is there any other store you'd want to go to?"

Paige glanced at the map and skimmed over the different stores in which MacDonagh Junction offered. "Well, if we have time," Paige smiled and squeezed his hand, "I'd really like to check out _Art It_ and _O'Brien's Gourmet Coffee_. I could _definitely _use some more coffee."

"Okay," Walter glanced at the map and committed the layout to memory. "Let's head over to _O'Brien's Gourmet Coffee _first, then work our way around by going to _Toadal IT _next and then _Art It _last. Does that sound good?"

"Sounds perfect," Paige muttered as she leaned in and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. They walked in silence towards the coffee house, and when they arrived, they walked up to the end of the line and patiently waited. Paige's arm had migrated from his hand to the middle of Walter's back, and she leaned against him with her cheek pressing against his side; his arm was comfortably draped over her shoulders.

"Well, I'll be damned," an unfamiliar voice caught their attention as they stood in line, and its owner slowly approached them. "It's NASA Nerd!"

Walter swallowed; while he didn't recognize the voice, there was only _one _person from his past who had ever called him NASA Nerd. Kieran MacDougall. He was the student who gave Walter the hardest time in school; Megan punched him in the nose once before she fell ill, but Kieran was persistent. If nothing, but. "I'm sorry," Walter faked a smile, "but do I know you?"

"Do you know me?" Kieran's eyes lit up in shock; he quickly started laughing and punched Walter lightly on the shoulder. "That's a good one, O'Brien. Can't believe it took yeh over ten years to face y'fears and come back home after the fallout y'had with y'parents." Kieran looked at Paige and gave her a good onceover. "Quite th'lash, that one. And y'got quingled, I see." Kieran pointed to Walter's wedding ring and then eyed Paige's baby bump, "Havin' a wee babby, are we now?"

Walter mindlessly pulled Paige closer to him. "I'm sorry. You are mistaken." Walter took a few steps forward as the line moved along, but Kieran followed.

"And how's y'sister? She still kickin'?" Kieran pressed, but Walter ignored him. If it weren't for Paige's proximity, he would have slugged the man. He was certainly tempted. "Oh wait," Kieran chuckled, "she can't, can she? Must be a damper on your life." Walter inhaled a slow breath of air; Paige's palm was rubbing small circles on his back. "Can't say I blame you, though; she certainly deserved what she got."

Just as Walter turned to aim for Kieran's nose, Paige whipped around and smacked the man hard on the jaw. Walter winced; he knew how hard his wife's slaps were. "I don't know _what _gives you the right to speak to my husband that way," Paige crossed her arms in front of her as people turned to watch the commotion. "But if _you _don't shut up and leave us alone, I will find you online and will permanently delete you from cyberspace. Just so you know," Paige grabbed Kieran's tie and yanked him down to her level, "you're right about _one _thing. My husband _is _Walter O'Brien, and if _you _know anything about what he is capable of," a sly grin formed on Paige's lips, "I am infinitely better. I suggest you leave us alone if you still want to be using all of your credit cards tomorrow." She released his tie and pushed him upwards. He muttered a curse under his breath and stormed away as a few people clapped. Paige turned back around and resumed her position with Walter by wrapping her arm around his back and leaning her head against his side. He slid his arm around her shoulders again. They took another step forward.

Walter leaned towards Paige and whispered, "I thank you for that, but, um…, you don't even know _how _to erase someone from Cyberspace, let alone code."

"But he doesn't know that," Paige laughed and quickly kissed his cheek. They moved forward in the line, and when they ordered their coffee, the cashier told them their drinks were on the house for telling off Kieran. They sat down at a booth and spent a few minutes drinking their hot beverages; once they left _O'Brien's Gourmet Coffee_, they slowly made their way to _Toadal IT_. "I'm sorry if I, uh, overstepped some boundaries back there…." Paige spoke quietly as they sauntered down the concourse. "I don't know what your history was with that guy, but he was ticking me off, and I knew that if I didn't say anything, you would have struck him, and he could have pressed charges."

"He could press charges against you, too." Walter glanced at her as they walked into the store.

"And what?" Paige grinned, "Tell the authorities that a pregnant woman smacked him in the face?" She let out a small laugh, "I think not…. If you don't mind me asking," Paige paused for a moment as they passed an elderly man in the aisle, "what was your beef with that guy, anyway?"

Walter sighed and raked his hair, "He was the jock; I was the nerd." He turned towards his wife and forced a smile, "You know how that dichotomy usually goes."

"He called you NASA Nerd," Paige lifted an eyebrow as they stopped walking when they reached the Wi-Fi section.

"He did," Walter nodded. "It's a name I received after my peers found out about my three-day arrest; it does not bear the best of memories."

Paige hooked her arms around Walter's neck. "I'm sorry you had such a rough time growing up, Walter. It's not fair."

"No," Walter shrugged. "It isn't, but it is what it is." The thought of Ralph suddenly brought a smile to his lips. "But had I not had those experiences, I would have been ill-equipped in helping Ralph deal with unfavorable normals."

"That is very true," Paige smiled before pulling him into a quick kiss. "Now," she lightly smacked his face, "Wi-Fi, right?"

**~ SCORPION ~**

When they returned to Walter's old house after spending a few hours at the shopping center, Walter spent the next half hour disconnecting his parents' old Wi-Fi and connecting the new one. Once the new one was configured, he tested the connection with both his phone and his Surface Pro, and it worked flawlessly. "Now that your Wi-Fi connection has been updated, there's no chance of it failing; I made sure of it." Walter said to his parents as he walked away from his father's desktop. He pulled out a notepad from his briefcase and quickly scrawled a few things down. "If you two should ever decide to buy a DVR, these are codes you can input into the system and have free movies for life. The top one is everything about farming, the second one is anything and everything Irish and the third one," he looked at his mother, "is all of the Romance movies you like, Mam."

His mother gave him a tight hug. "Must you leave already?"

"In order to get to Dublin Airport before our plane departs, we need to leave with enough cushion time to account for things like traffic, car wrecks and any other unpredictable occurrence that may happen on our way to Dublin." Walter explained as his mother continued hugging him.

"But your plane leaves at 3 PM, and it only takes an hour and a half to get to Dublin from here; it's only 11 in the morning. Why leave so early?" His mother asked as she pulled away from him. "You can stay for a little while longer, can't you? At least stay for lunch."

"I don't know…," Walter scratched his neck and looked at his wife as she walked into the family room. "What do you think, Paige?"

"Sorry, about what?" Paige's eyebrows lifted as she walked over to him and then leaned against his shoulder.

"Mam wants to know if we can stay for lunch."

"As long as we're on the road by 12:30 PM, I think we should be all right to stay for lunch." Paige smiled as Caitríona's eyes lit up. Angus was expressionless. "The car needs to be packed, though. I've brought everything down to the foyer so it shouldn't take long."

"Okay," Walter nodded as he combed his hand through his hair. "I'll do that now." He pulled the keys out of his pocket and headed for the foyer when his father followed him, saying he would help. As Paige had predicted, it didn't take long to pack everything into the rental, and Walter was grateful for the silence between him and his father as they loaded the car. The silence didn't feel paper-thin like it did so many times in the past; it was actually a comfortable silence – one Walter wouldn't mind in the future if his parents decide to be involved in the baby's life.

As the last bag was loaded, his father finally spoke. "I know you and me have, erm, have had our differences, boy," Angus said as he wiped his brow, "but the last sixteen years have shown me what an ass I've been to ya; I was the one who drove you and Megan away instead of tryin' to find ways to better connect with ya, me boy." Walter stood still and kept quiet. "Seein' ya yesterday and today with a wife and a babby on the way made me also realize that had I been a better father to ya, I wouldn't have been so surprised to find out how much you've grown since your mam and me've last seen ya. For the way I've treated ya in the past, I don't expect ya t'forgive me, nor your sister. But," Angus walked up to Walter and put a hand on his shoulder, "your mam and me have been doin' some talkin' this morn, and we do want to be involved in your family's life."

Walter inhaled a deep breath and released it slowly. "My, uh, my future adopted son, Ralph, is a genius, Dad. And there's a good ch-chance that my future s-son or d-daughter will be mentally enabled too."

"I understand," Angus nodded. "I can't promise success in connectin' with y'family, but I want me a second chance, Walter. I can see your wife has had a great effect on ya, me boy. I can see the bond your share; if you and your wife can connect, I don't see why your mam and me can't try to connect with your boy and your unborn babby."

"It isn't easy," Walter said, remembering all of the frustrations he had when he and Paige first started establishing a connection. There were times when he had wanted to say things but didn't know how, and there were other times where he had said some things and knew he shouldn't have.

"I ain't lookin' for easy, boy. Just lookin' for a way." Angus said as he took off his hat.

Walter raked his hand through his hair. "Okay…, but I have one condition."

"Name your wager." Angus placed his hat back on his head.

Walter nodded and couldn't believe what he was about to suggest. "Cut ties with Ireland and move to Los Angeles."

**~ SCORPION ~**

* * *

**WriterFreak001: **

I was planning a different plot for this part of the story but decided against it. Do you think his parents will take his deal? Do you think Walter's being too harsh?

Tell me your feels! :D


	29. Chapter 29

**WriterFreak001: **

Nothing new other than the fact that I have a mental condition called Scorpionitis.

* * *

**Title** | Mind Games

**Fandom** | _Scorpion_ (CBS)

**Description** | Post-Deception. Four months passed since the ending of "Deception," and it seemed as though life, for the most part, returned to normal for Team Scorpion. Walter and Paige were given a chance to focus on their relationship in the midst of all of the cases that were assigned to the team. However, eventually, all great things must end, and once again, Team Scorpion will have to deal with an even bigger opponent than the Leviathan Mafia. Mark Collins is back for revenge and will have something big in store for Walter – something even the 197 IQ genius might not be able to see coming. And Collins's return just might cause a rift within the Scorpion family in the process, making it next to impossible for them to beat his ultimate game.

**Rating**| This fanfiction will be rated T for violence, obscene language, sexual themes as well as brain stuff and fluff.

**POV** | Limited Third Person

**Disclaimer** | While CBS owns _**Scorpion**_, I am the owner of this masterpiece.

**Claimer** | I am human; there are bound to be mistakes. If you feel like something _should_ be changed, you have the power to send me a review/private message. I can't guarantee if I'll change it every time, but I do read all of my reviews and all of my private messages!

* * *

**Mind Games**

**Sequel to**_** Deception**_

**Written by WriterFreak001**

**Chapter 29**

**~ S****CORPION ~**

Before Angus could give Walter his reply, the genius heard his wife calling him from the house. "Hold that thought," Walter muttered before he scrambled up to Paige, wondering if there was something wrong. "Is everything all right?"

"Walter," she spoke in a hushed tone, "I overheard you speaking with your father a few seconds ago. I know you mean well, but you can't ask your family to up and leave their home and expect them to abandon everything they have ever known about Ireland."

"I know it might seem harsh," Walter raked his hand through his hair and then placed his palms on Paige's shoulders, "but them moving to Los Angeles is the most efficient solution; they want to have a second chance and be involved with the family. Living in Los Angeles will give them that opportunity in doing so. They can't afford multiple trips to the states, and we don't have the time to visit Ireland. Asking my parents to move to LA is a win-win situation. Everybody saves money, too."

Paige peeled his palms off of her shoulders and squeezed his hands with hers. "Walter," she gave him a small smile, "Yes, it might seem like the most efficient solution, but again," she kissed his knuckles, "it's not the most ethical solution. Your parents have a life in Callan; they have friends, the farm, comfort and history. It wouldn't be fair for them to leave their home in order to be involved with our family. Take it from their perspective," Paige said as she released his hands and hooked her arms around his neck, "they've been living in a farming community for most of their lives if not more. They would feel very uncomfortable moving to a large city; it would be overwhelming for them, and they would experience a serious case of culture shock."

"Culture shock can be overcome over time." Walter deadpanned.

"You're not listening to me," Paige shook her head. She paused for a few seconds and then her eyes lit up; matching Walter's expression whenever he had an epiphany. "What if someone asked _you _to leave everything behind in Los Angeles and move somewhere miles away to join a think tank or something; would you be able to do it? Abandon Scorpion and leave your friends for the sake of a job opportunity? I know I wouldn't; I wouldn't be able to bring myself to leave the once place I have ever felt a home."

Walter pursed his lips and considered his wife's inquiry; could he really leave Los Angeles behind and be contented somewhere else in a company that wasn't Scorpion? Starting Scorpion was his dream, and now that it was a reality, could he really give it up? And if he _did _abandon Scorpion, what would become of Toby, Happy and Sylvester? While Happy had already moved out and is living in her own apartments, Sylvester and Toby were still living at the garage. But Sly and Toby were planning on moving out so eventually, they'll have their own places to live as well. Yet, if Walter and his family left them, they wouldn't have the garage anymore because Walter would have to sell it. And selling the garage was something Walter could never do; it not only was his home, but it was his fortress, and he had friends who worked there too. The garage held a lot of histor—Oh. _That _was what Paige had meant. "You're right," he finally spoke. "I should…probably…redefine my terms."

"Or, have no terms at all," Paige cupped his face. "When they want to visit, we can pay for their trip. And for someone who is the world's smartest tech guy, I'm surprised you didn't even think of Skype," Paige laughed and gently smooshed his face inward like a fish. "If they're more comfortable staying in Ireland, then it's okay if they stay. We'll make it work. One way or another, we'll make it work. Okay?"

"Okay," he mumbled as his mouth flapped like a fish lips. Paige smoothed out his face and pulled him in for a brief kiss. "Now that I think about it," Walter scratched the back of his neck, "My parents have a desktop without an embedded video camera; they also don't have smartphones nor do they have tablets."

"I'm sure you think of something before we have to leave." Paige smiled and kissed him once more. "All right," she gave him a gentle push, "go back to your father and change your terms."

"Kay," Walter nodded as he spun around on his heels and started his way back to his father. He spent the next ten minutes taking back his condition and giving his father new ones. He basically repeated everything his wife had told him, but he paused when his father claimed he didn't even know what Skype was. When Walter tried explaining the mechanics of Skype, his father acted as though Walter was speaking a different language. "Hang on…. I'll be right back."

Walter scrambled towards the house and sifted through his briefcase he had left by his parents' disgraceful computer.

"What are you doing, Walter?" Paige asked him as she walked into the room.

"I'm going to show both me Mam and me Dhaid how Skype works." Walter replied as a hint of his repressed Irish accent snuck into his statement.

"Who are you going to call?" Paige folded her arms as he rose to his feet and turned on his tablet.

"I'll call Ralph," Walter shrugged.

"It's about 3:30 AM in Los Angeles, right now. Ralph is asleep." Paige lifted an eyebrow and walked towards him.

"You wanna bet?" Walter chuckled and then added, "LA is approaching Saturday morning, and we are in Ireland. Two factors which would keep Ralph from staying up are absent, and the only two adults staying at the garage at night during our honeymoon are Sylvester and Toby. I can guarantee you that neither one of them every pays attention to the clock when they're busy working on their projects. Ergo, the odds of Ralph sleeping during this time are slim."

Paige playfully rolled her eyes and sighed. "All right, give him a call. If he's cranky when we return, it's all on you."

"I'm willing to risk it." Walter smirked as he pulled up Skype on his tablet. He led Paige to the kitchen where _both _of his parents were working on lunch. Walter assumed his father came inside while he was fetching his tablet. He called them to attention and showed them the wonderful invention known as Skype; he first explained to them what Skype was and showed them where the camera was on the tablet. Then he called Ralph, and just as he assumed, the boy was still awake. The conversation was short, and Walter was able to introduce his son-to-be to his parents. Ralph was very polite and towards the end of the conversation, the boy's question threw Walter and his parents off guard.

"Hey, Dad?" Ralph yawned and stretched his arms; Walter could tell the boy was going in and out and knew it was time to cut the conversation short.

"Yeah?" Walter blinked as he waited for Ralph to speak.

"When the adoption papers are filed and processed, will your parents be my new grandparents too?" Ralph yawned again and shook himself awake. Walter really didn't know how to answer his query; if he said no, he might offend his parents, but if he said yes, his parents might not be interested – but they claimed they were interested in being involved in the family more so maybe it was a yes? Walter glanced at his parents, hoping he could gather some clue as to what they would say. His mother shook herself out of her own reverie and nodded as his father shrugged. "Dad?"

"Hm? Oh, right. Yeah…. Yeah, they would, buddy." Walter grinned and was caught by surprise when Paige leaned up to kiss his cheek.

"Ralph, honey," Paige redirected her attention towards the tablet, "You should be in bed now."

"I'm not tired," he yawned in response.

"Uh-huh. Sure." Paige laughed. "Just promise me you'll get some sleep _before _the sun rises in LA."

"Okay," Ralph nodded with another yawn.

"He's barely awake," Paige muttered into Walter's ear. "We need to let him go so he can get some sleep."

"Okay," Walter whispered with a nod and then said to Ralph, "We gotta get going, buddy. The plane leaves in a few hours, and we still haven't gotten to the airport yet."

"Mhmm. Okay." Ralph rubbed his eyes. "Bye."

"Bye. / Bye, sweetie." Walter and Paige said in unison. The boy ended the call and then Walter closed out of the app. "And that is what Skype is." Walter looked at his parents as he locked the screen of his tablet.

"That's all fine and good," his father crossed his arms, "but we don't have any money to buy that sort of contraption."

Walter pressed his lips together and released a slow breath. "I got an idea," Walter said as he left his tablet on the counter and disappeared to his briefcase. He pulled out the tablet's charger and scrambled back into the kitchen. "Everything I have on this tablet is uploaded to a cloud server at home."

"What's a cloud server?" Both his parents asked in unison.

"Doesn't matter; what matters is that I can erase everything on this hard-drive and re-download everything to a new tablet when I get home," Walter explained as he started pressing buttons on the tablet. "You guys can keep this tablet and use it solely for Skype if you want. You can use it for other things, obviously, but that's up to you. The cord," he gestured towards the charger he had brought, "is the charger. You charge the tablet's battery when it's depleted by plugging it into a wall," he paused, "but I'm sure you know how to use outlets. Anyway," he placed the tablet down, "the hard-drive has been reset; nothing I had on there is there anymore. It has all of the rudimentary applications, including Skype, pre-downloaded onto the device." Walter said as he showed his parents where to find Skype on the tablet. He quickly created a Skype account for his parents and then added himself as a contact. "Now, as long as you don't log out of Skype, you don't have to worry about signing in and out of the application. It will remember your information for you. I've inputted my Skype contact information, and when Paige and I arrive home, I can give you a call on Skype to see if you've got the hang of things."

Walter used his phone to call the tablet via Skype and showed them how to answer video calls; that's all they really needed to know.

"Are you sure we can take this?" His mother raised an eyebrow and glanced at the tablet. "That's an awfully expensive device for you t'leave in our hands."

"It's fine," Walter nodded, "I can easily get a new one once I get home."

"You can also use that tablet for emails too." Paige smiled, joining in on the conversation. "So if Walter and I recorded a video of the baby after he or she is born, we can send you the video through email."

Walter turned towards his wife. "And why would we make videos of our baby? Seems like a waste of time."

"For memories, Walter. Not everyone has photographic memory," Paige rolled her eyes.

"Right," Walter clamped his mouth shut, not wanting to say anything else offensive.

"Anyway," Paige took the tablet and pulled up the email server. "Do you guys have an email account; it can be synced to this tablet, and you can receive it on here as well as on your computer."

Angus nodded. He told Walter his email account, and in seconds, the email was synced to the tablet. "Looks like it's good to go." Walter said as he handed the tablet to his dad. "Any questions?"

They shook their heads. "Seems easy enough," Angus shrugged as he started fiddling with the tablet.

"Kay. Cool." Walter raked his hand through his hair.

As his mother returned to working on lunch, Paige hooked her arm around his and said, "And when the next time we visit, Walter would have no problem upgrading your computer to something that can use Skype too. And one that takes up less space."

"We never asked you to do all of this," Angus looked at Paige and then at Walter.

"I know," Walter swallowed. "It's, um, it's the least I can do after making life a little difficult for the family – especially after I hacked into NASA and agreed to help the US government with certain projects. After observing Paige interact with Ralph when I first met them, I came to realize that I was most likely not an easy child to raise – given my intellect and inability to connect."

"Well, we are very grateful," His mother smiled and gave both Walter and Paige hugs. "Aren't we, Angus?"

Angus nodded as he scratched his neck.

"And because I was such a difficult child to raise, I owe it to the two of you to help make your lives a little bit easier; Skype will not only enable you to converse with me, Paige, Ralph and our future child, but you can also speak with Megan. She also has a Skype account, and once we return to LA, I'll tell Megan to add your account as a contact." Walter felt a sense of pride being able to share a small part of his world with his parents. They never understood technology; at least, they never understood Walter's fascination with it. Being able to use technology to _literally _bridge the divide between him and his parents was a step up from the relationship he had had with his parents for the last sixteen years. And like Paige said earlier; all of them will find a way to make it work. Whether it's through Skype or through visits to each other's countries, it will somehow work.

His mother shook him out of his reverie when she told him there was going to be another half hour before lunch. His dad had disappeared while he was submerged into his thoughts, but Paige was still clinging to his arm. He checked his phone for the time. 11:45 PM. They'll have to eat quickly once lunch was made and then hit the road at 12:30 PM in order to get to Dublin in time for the flight.

"Let's go upstairs and leave your mother be while she works," Paige whispered into Walter's ear. He nodded and followed her as she pulled him towards the stairs.

**~ SCORPION ~**

"What are we doing up here again?" Walter asked as his wife closed his old bedroom door.

"Well, your mother said there was going to be another thirty minutes until lunch, so...," Paige's voice faded as she pushed him down onto the bed, grabbed his cheeks and drew him in for a slow, heated kiss. As the tip of her tongue found his, he released a small, guttural moan, aching for her wanton desires. When his left palm crept underneath her blouse, she pulled away from him and shook her head. "I told you last night," Paige kissed him again; then, she muttered the rest of her response against his lips. "It'll be too weird in your parents' home, and besides," she smirked and looked into his eyes, "Thirty minutes isn't long enough for what I want to do to you right now."

Before he had a chance to say anything, she kissed him hard on the mouth and started grinding his pelvis. Minutes passed, and what she was doing to him was pure torture; if he didn't stop things between them soon, he was going to explode in his pants, and that was the _last _thing he needed before traveling. "Paige," he gently pushed her off of him, "if, um, if things escalate any further," he gestured below, "I won't have any pants to wear." His wardrobe was packed in the car with Paige's."

Paige bit her lip and then grabbed his hand before yanking him off of the bed. "I've got an idea."

"What?"

"We have about twenty-five minutes left, yes?" Paige lifted an eyebrow as she turned to face him. Walter pulled out his phone and checked the time. He nodded. "Okay," she replied with a wicked grin as she opened the door and tugged him along.

"Where are we going?" Walter inquired, but as she kicked open the bathroom door and yanked him inside, the grin forming on his lips matched hers, and he knew _exactly _what was going on in her mind. "I like how you think, Mrs. O'Brien."

"I thought you would," she laughed before tugging him down for a searing kiss.

They made use of every second they could in that shower.

And it was absolute bliss.

**~ SCORPION ~**

* * *

**WriterFreak001: **

I think the next chapter will be the epilogue for _Mind Games_. The third installment to this series will not be written for some time as I have mentioned before that I will be taking a hiatus from this series and focus on shorter works of WAIGE magic. :)

I personally thought it was a bit harsh for Walt to demand his father to leave everything behind and start anew in LA. I mean, we can all understand his reasons, but he doesn't always think about the feelings of others in regards to efficiency. So… that's why I inserted Paige's little spiel as to why Walter should take back his ultimatum. I hope that was well played.

What did you think of this chapter?


	30. Chapter 30

**WriterFreak001: **

Thank you for joining in on the amazing, wild ride during "Mind Games." It's been a pleasure writing this story, and I'm sure some of you cringed during some of the chapters, and that is OK! :) (I love making people cringe because that means the writing was effective). While this is the last chapter to "Mind Games," the "Masterminds of Deceit" series is far from over. :) I haven't decided where I'm going to take the series or if there will be a BIG BAD, but once I do, I promise to return! :D It might not be until after the season finale of Scorpion – by then I should have an idea whether or not there's going to be another baddie in the show. If there's not, then I have free reign to either create one or do something entirely different.

Anyway, here is the last installment to "Mind Games."

* * *

**Title** | Mind Games

**Fandom** | _Scorpion_ (CBS)

**Description** | Post-Deception. Four months passed since the ending of "Deception," and it seemed as though life, for the most part, returned to normal for Team Scorpion. Walter and Paige were given a chance to focus on their relationship in the midst of all of the cases that were assigned to the team. However, eventually, all great things must end, and once again, Team Scorpion will have to deal with an even bigger opponent than the Leviathan Mafia. Mark Collins is back for revenge and will have something big in store for Walter – something even the 197 IQ genius might not be able to see coming. And Collins's return just might cause a rift within the Scorpion family in the process, making it next to impossible for them to beat his ultimate game.

**Rating**| This fanfiction will be rated T for violence, obscene language, sexual themes as well as brain stuff and fluff.

**POV** | Limited Third Person

**Disclaimer** | While CBS owns _**Scorpion**_, I am the owner of this masterpiece.

**Claimer** | I am human; there are bound to be mistakes. If you feel like something _should_ be changed, you have the power to send me a review/private message. I can't guarantee if I'll change it every time, but I do read all of my reviews and all of my private messages!

* * *

**Mind Games**

**Sequel to**_** Deception**_

**Written by WriterFreak001**

**Epilogue**

**~ S****CORPION ~**

A month passed since Walter and Paige's honeymoon, and Paige was absolutely radiant. As Walter continued reading the pregnancy guide he had purchased several weeks ago to help him better understand what his wife was going through, he learned that many women undergo a phenomenon known as the pregnancy glow; at first, he had scoffed at the title of the phenomenon because he knew it was impossible for human skin to glow. However, as he continued reading, the phenomenon described increased blood flow (which would account for the reason Paige's face seemed fuller and brighter) and increased oil secretion (which explained why Paige's complexion appeared shinier than usual). He was grateful to know that there was science behind the so-called pregnancy glow because it made him understand the radiance in her features a little bit better. However, every time a random person – usually during a case – told Paige that she was glowing, he had to bite his tongue and hold himself back from explaining the science behind the phenomenon. He had corrected a cashier once, and Paige was a little disappointed at him for ruining the moment with his arrogant explanation. After _that _incident, he made note to keep the facts to himself and simply let his wife revel in the moment.

Today, they had an appointment with Paige's OB/GYN to see how the baby's health was doing and learn of the child's sex. Paige was eighteen weeks along in her pregnancy, and it was starting to get to a point where Walter had to decide when or when not to bring his wife along for the ride during Scorpion's cases. While he knew his wife loved being part of the field work during their cases, they both mutually agreed as to which cases she should or should not attend. If cases involved weapons, drug cartels, heists or potentially dangerous people, Paige agreed to stay home at the garage where they knew it was safe. However, if the cases entailed simple tech upgrades for security detail, Paige tagged along. But those cases were a rarity, so most of the time, Paige was home. If it wasn't for Megan's frequent visits, Paige had mentioned to Walter once that she would have gone insane. Luckily, in another month, Ralph will be out of school for the summer, and he would be able to help his mother out for a while.

"Before you go to your doctor's appointment," Toby said as he circled around his desk and approached the couch near the entrance to the garage where the married couple were lounging about, "I have a little present for the two of you."

"Oh?" Paige's eyes lit up as she lifted her head from Walter's shoulder. "And what would that be?"

Toby dug into his satchel and revealed a fancy, state-of-the-art stethoscope. "The two of you have only been able to hear the baby's heartbeat at your monthly appointments; with this stethoscope, you'll be able to listen to Waige Junior's heartbeat anytime you want while he or she is blossoming inside of you, Paige. It also might come in handy later if you need to listen for wheezes or irregularities whenever the child is sick."

"Aw, thank you," Paige smiled as Toby dropped the stethoscope into her hands. "That's very thoughtful of you, Toby."

Toby scratched the back of his neck and returned a sheepish grin. "I only want what's best for the growing munchkin; besides," he chuckled, "I _am _the cool uncle, after all. I want to get an early start on building my reputation for this kid."

"Of course you had an ulterior motive," Walter shook his head in dismay. "Leave it to you to do something nice only to turn around and make it _all _about you."

"Yep," Toby grinned. "That's me, all right. No shame. No shame." Toby gave Walter and Paige a victory sign before strutting off to his desk.

"You could be a little nicer, Walter," Paige whispered as she plugged the stethoscope into her ears.

"And he could be a little less…Toby." Walter shrugged and watched Paige roll up her shirt and place the diaphragm against her swollen stomach. "Do you hear anything?"

"Shhhh," Paige clamped her hand over his mouth and was silent for a few seconds before a smile found her lips. "The heartbeat sounds strong," she muttered and handed him the ear pieces to him. He inserted them into his ears and listened carefully. There was a soft pitter-patter pulsing from his wife's abdomen.

He removed the stethoscope off of his person and placed it onto the table in front of them. He then looked at his watch. 1:34 PM. Their appointment was at 2 PM. "If we want to make the appointment in time, we should probably head for the car."

"Okay," Paige smiled before planting a quick kiss on his lips. He rose to his feet, helped her onto hers and then led her out of the garage towards the car. Once they were buckled in, he pulled out of the alley and merged onto the main road, heading towards the hospital.

**~ SCORPION ~**

Once Walter and Paige were led to the ultrasound room, the nurse had Paige lie down on the hospital bed and answer a list of thorough inquiries. When the nurse finished inputting Paige's answers into the computer, she left to fetch Dr. Overton – Paige's OB/GYN. Walter was sitting in a comfortable chair next to Paige and was holding her hand; he knew she was nervous – she was always nervous for the ultrasound appointments. Nervous that they would learn the baby wasn't healthy or find deformities. The list feeding Paige's anxieties was endless, and the only thing Walter could do to help calm her nerves was hold her hand. He still wasn't great with pep talks, but the speeches didn't matter. Paige was a tactile person; he didn't need to say spiels of encouragement in order to comfort her. He only needed to hold her hand – touch her in some way. During her hospitalization after the Collins incident, Paige craved his touch. She didn't speak much for several days. And during her hospitalization, he learned that a simple touch spoke volumes to her.

As he watched her slowly expose her swollen belly, he began thinking about the future, wondering if the child was a boy or a girl. He would find out soon enough, but he couldn't help himself from being curious. Never mind the sex of the baby. What often plagued his mind these days was the unknown IQ of their unborn child. He knew he shouldn't be bothered by something out of his control, but the thought of not being able to connect with his child scared him to no end. He knew what it was like having a difficult relationship with his father – his relationship was still on the mend, but he knew it would take a long time before he completely forgave his father for the way he treated him as a youth. The last thing he wanted for his own flesh and blood was dissociation.

When he first met Paige, he recognized the markers of a genius the moment he saw Ralph; even though he barely knew the family of two at the time, he sympathized with the boy and didn't want history to repeat itself. He could tell that Paige was trying to connect with Ralph, but the boy kept pulling away, and Walter knew he had to intervene in order to salvage the mother and son's relationship. Scorpion was the answer – it was a quick solution that benefited both Paige and Ralph.

And now, here Paige was, sitting next to him, waiting for the ultrasound of _their _firstborn. Helping Ralph was calculable. Not knowing if he would be able to establish a connection with his unborn child was bothering him to no end; the baby _could _be born with a high IQ like Walter, but he or she could also inherit an average IQ from his or her mother.

"Walter," Paige muttered his name, shaking him out of his thoughts, "What's on your mind?"

"Hm?"

"Your mind," Paige reiterated as she squeezed his hand. "Usually, when you're very quiet, you're thinking about something. You've been staring at my stomach for the past five minutes." So she noticed. "Is everything all right?"

"Yeah," Walter forced a smile but it vanished when she raised an eyebrow at him. She saw through his deception.

"Try again." Paige demanded as she brought his palm to her round belly.

"Now's really not the time," Walter replied, expecting Dr. Overton to arrive at any moment."

"Uh-huh. Right. I don't see Dr. Overton, do you?" Paige deadpanned as she shifted slightly and locked eyes with his. "You know I don't like it when you shut me out."

"I know." Walter inhaled a deep breath and let it out slowly as he raked his hand through his hair. Where to begin? Before he had a chance to continue, Dr. Overton, a woman in her late forties with short blonde hair and oval glasses, walked into the room with her clipboard in her hand. Walter pressed his lips together, and Paige's expression told him that their conversation wasn't over and that it would be resumed later. Dr. Overton shook both of their hands and asked Paige a couple more questions before reaching for the ultrasound conducting gel. Walter found the ultrasound appointments the most fascinating; there was a lot of science embedded into the process, and he had a chance to see the continued growth of the baby on the monitor.

He always had a knack for anatomy, and human life was one of the world's wonders in which scientists have been trying to create synthetically for centuries. Prenatal childbirth, alone, was enthralling; at four weeks, the fetus's eyes starts forming. By sixteen weeks, the eyes are fully developed and can process light. If anything, in-utero development of the baby mystified Walter. He understood the process of how fetuses grow into full-grown babies over the course of forty weeks, but for a fetus to only need 23 chromosomes from each parent to generate a custom-made genetic code and develop eyes, organs and life by the end of nine months was a true phenomenon.

And within those unique forty weeks, the child's intellect was also developed. While there would be no sure way to determine the level of intelligence his child would have when he or she was born, the thought still irked him. There might be a small window for Walter to try and connect with his child before he or she develops his or her cognition, but the thought of that window of opportunity vanishing before him made him fear the possibility of dissociation with his child even more.

He knew he and Paige had had this conversation a while ago, but their previous conversation did not negate the fact that still had his worries. It was one thing for him to help Paige connect with Ralph; it's something entirely different for Paige to help him connect with an infant who might not be able to stimulate his mind. The unknown frustrated him, and he feared he would end up like his father after all.

"Walter?" Paige spoke his name and lifted her eyebrow, bringing him back to reality. "Dr. Overton's about to start the ultrasound; you were lost inside your mind again, weren't you." He nodded and swallowed the lump in his throat, giving her a silent apology. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"Never better," Walter forced another smile as he squeezed her hand to assure her he was fine.

The look she gave him told him she wasn't convinced, but she turned to Dr. Overton and told her to proceed. The doctor squirted the conducting gel onto Paige's exposed abdomen and instructed them to look at the monitor as she placed the probe onto his wife's stomach. The monitor showed a well-defined profile of the infant's head, and Walter felt Paige squeeze his hand tighter, and the tears in her eyes started to form. He didn't understand why she cried every time they saw an ultrasound image of their child, but he didn't question her reaction; he assumed it had to do with her EQ. While Paige teared up during the ultrasounds, Walter simply studied the images, committing them to memory. They saw a fist as the probe passed over the side of Paige's swollen belly, and Paige made a comment, saying the baby looks like he or she is giving them a fist bump. His wife's statement made him smile; he was _very _familiar with the fist bump.

"The next image will determine the sex of the baby; do the two of you want to know today, or do you want to wait until the delivery?" Dr. Overton asked as she rested the probe against Paige's stomach and waited for Walter and Paige's answer.

"We want to know today," Paige replied as she gave Walter's hand a gentle squeeze.

"All right," Dr. Overton smiled. "Give me a few seconds to locate the baby's genitalia."

**~ SCORPION ~**

After learning the sex of the baby and finding out that the baby was in healthy condition, Walter and Paige returned home to the garage with smiles on their faces. Paige's grin was more defined than Walter's, but he was contented with the results. Paige, however, was ecstatic, and her exuberance was what Walter found the most intriguing. Her happiness was contagious and made him forget about his worries for the entire afternoon and evening.

They decided to keep the knowledge of the baby's sex to themselves for a while longer; Paige wanted time for them to revel in the enjoyment before sharing their joy with others. When they returned to the garage, they were bombarded by Toby, Sylvester and – to Walter's surprise – Happy. They all wanted to know whether they were expecting a niece or a nephew, but the expecting parents refused to tell them no matter how much Toby and Sylvester begged and pleaded. Happy simply walked back to her desk with a shrug.

"Oh, come on! Pleeeeeease?!" Toby was on his knees, shaking his clasped hands as he begged Walter to disclose the sex of the baby. "I'm dyin' here!"

"The answer is no." Walter replied as he stepped around Toby and sauntered over to his wife who was speaking with Ralph near her desk. When he approached them, Paige was explaining to Ralph why she didn't want to tell anybody what the sex of the baby was; the boy simply shrugged and nodded before returning to his attention to his Nintendo 3DS game – the game Walter gave him a few weeks ago to mark the date he legally became the boy's father. Walter ruffled Ralph's hair as Paige leaned against him and wrapped her arms around his torso.

As they started to leave Ralph to his own world, the boy caught Walter's attention as he reached over his mother's desk chair and grabbed Walter's wrist. "What is it, buddy?" Walter asked as he and Paige returned to _their_ son. "Is something wrong?"

His voice was soft and quiet. "I have a hypothetical question for you, Dad."

"I'll be upstairs," Paige whispered and gave Walter a quick kiss on the cheek before leaving for the stairs. When she was halfway up the steps, Walter turned his attention back to his son.

"And w-what would that be?" Walter forced a smile as he knelt to the floor and folded his arms against his chest.

Ralph spoke in a soft, quiet voice. "If you and Mom were to have more kids later on, would the baby currently growing in Mom's stomach be sharing my room if no other rooms are vacant?"

Ralph's inquiry took Walter by surprise; the boy certainly knew how to find loopholes. The question was vague, but at the same time, the answer would provide very specific information.

Walter struggled to answer the boy's query but he figured Ralph had a right to know; besides, he wouldn't be telling Ralph a direct answer. Walter could say 'yes' or 'no,' and what Ralph did with the information was not up to him. So, banking on the hope that the boy would not disclose his conclusion with anyone else, Walter gave Ralph his answer.

"Cool." Ralph grinned in response and then returned to his game. Walter rose to his feet and ruffled the boy's hair. As he left for the stairs, Ralph turned to him and added, "Secret is safe with me." He gave Walter a thumb's up. "Scoop."

"Thanks, buddy," Walter walked over to his adopted son and gave him a fist bump before turning to leave for the loft.

**~ SCORPION ~**

Late that night, after Ralph had retired for the night, Walter and Paige were in bed, wrapped within each other's arms. Paige's cheek was resting against Walter's collarbone while her arm was draped over his chest and her leg was curled around his. Walter's left hand was laced with Paige's, and his other fingers were fiddling his wife's matted hair.

"Ralph knows." Walter whispered as he stared at the ceiling.

"He does?"

"Yeah. He asked me a question I couldn't exactly refuse to answer; you know me and facts," he forced a chuckle as he locked eyes with Paige's soft brown irises. "Anyway, uh, he basically wanted to know if he would ever be sharing a room with the baby…in, um, in the event that we have more children."

"Oh?" Paige lifted her head and turned towards him, resting her chin against his chest. "What did you tell him?"

"The truth; he asked for a yes or no answer – not specifics. Everything was, um, well, you know, it was hypothetical; in no way did I give him a direct answer. I left the conclusion up to him, and since he scoop-promised to keep the knowledge of the baby's sex a secret, I didn't see the harm in answering his inquiry. You're not mad, are you? I mean, you, um, you wanted to keep it a secret…."

"I'm not mad, Walter," Paige laughed and pulled him in for a kiss. "I could never be mad at you for being honest with Ralph; honesty is important, and he didn't get a lot of honesty when Drew was in his life."

"I guess it's a good thing," he chuckled, "that I can't usually tell lies, then."

"No. You don't usually lie." Paige brought his hand to her lips and kissed his fingers. "But you _do _withhold the truth sometimes." Ah. There it was. Walter knew she was going to bring up their earlier conversation sooner or later. "What was on your mind at the doctor's office, Walter?" Walter grew silent for a moment and avoided his wife's pressing gaze. "Walter?" She caressed his face and forced him to look at her. "Hey," her thumb rubbed along the taut skin under his eye, "it's just me. Your scars are my scars, remember?"

Oh, he remembered, all right.

Not wanting to start another unhealthy argument, he gave in and answered his wife's query and sat up in the bed. "I know we've, um, I know that we've had this conversation before, but I still c-can't help b-b-but worry about n-not being able to c-connect with our b-baby." He inhaled a deep breath and laid everything out before her. "I don't want to become distant like m-my father d-d-did f-for years." He paused and inhaled another deep breath. "I s-still have a h-hard time processing touch with oth-other people. I d-don't know the first thing t-to holding a baby, nor d-do I know how t-to interact with them. Babies, f-from what I've read, are t-tactile creatures; th-they depend on t-touch to est-establish connections…. W-what if I c-can't do that ef-f-fectively?" He started to hyperventilate. The reality of the pregnancy was becoming even more real to him. "I a-am ill-equipped, Paige. U-unlike mostly ev-everything I've ever known, a b-baby is not something I kn-know how to calculate." He grabbed his head with both of his hands. "And th-the fear of not knowing whether or n-not I'll be able to connect with our baby girl is eating m-me away inside. And I h-hate the feeling I feel," he closed his eyes and gulped, "every time I think about it."

Paige sat up and then straddled him as she pulled his hands from his face and cupped his cheeks. "Walter," she wiped away the tears he didn't even know he had with her thumbs, "Walter, you need to calm down and breathe." Listening to Paige's slow breaths helped Walter calm himself down, but it took time. When his breathing pattern normalized, Paige forced him to look into her eyes. "I understand your fears, Walter; I do. I spent nine years," a tear fell down her cheek, "not being able to connect with Ralph, and as I've mentioned before, it's a horrible feeling to see your child pull away from you. I know the feeling all too well. If we worry about the intellect of our child, we'll go crazy, Walter. It's not something we can find out the moment she's born. It'll take some time." She leaned her forehead against his. "And as I told you the last time we had this discussion; if our daughter is born with an average IQ, I will help the two of you connect just as you've helped me connect with Ralph." She pulled away and smiled as she caressed his cheeks. "You're not in this alone, Walter." She brought his hands to her stomach and rested them against her baby bump. "I promise we'll figure it all out together…. It just…has to take time."

Suddenly, Walter felt a soft series of pops beating against his left hand. Paige smiled at his response as he immediately directed his attention to her belly. The pops were faint, but he could feel them. "See?" Paige hooked her arms around his neck, causing Walter to meet her warm gaze. Her lips curved to a smile. "She's already anxious to meet her daddy."

Before he had time to respond, Paige pulled him in for a deep kiss and rocked against him; his palms found her backside and he pressed her closer to him. A slow, fervent fire burned between them as their searing kisses… their gentle touches… their ardent loving purified all of their doubts and their fears they shared together.

As Paige physically showed Walter how much she loved him, he realized she was right; he wasn't facing the pregnancy nor the baby alone – she was going to be right beside him, helping him.

"And Walter?" Paige whispered into his ear.

"Hm?"

"You're going to be a great father." Paige muttered before pressing her lips against his cheek.

"How can you be so sure?" Walter asked, causing her to face him.

"Because," Paige smiled, "You are one of the top five smartest people in the world; when you see a problem, you find a solution. It's who you are. I can tell you already love our baby girl – the fear of not connecting with her makes it pretty clear," Paige combed her fingers through his hair. "And since you love her, you'll do whatever you can to hold onto her for as long as possible. Even if you have to struggle a bit in order to connect with her, you'll find a way because you fight for what's important to you. And no matter what, I'll here to help you any way I can. I promise," she kissed his forehead, "our daughter _will _know her father loves her; one way or another," Paige poked his nose with her finger, "she'll know. Do you trust me?"

Walter nodded. "Always."

"Good," Paige muttered before kissing him hard on the mouth.

Hours passed, and Paige had fallen asleep in Walter's arms, but he was very much awake. He stared at the ceiling and thought about a lot of things. As his wife stirred against him, he softly called out her name.

"Hm?" she grumbled; her voice vibrated against his shoulder.

"Léana."

"Léana?"

"The baby's name. It should be Léana."

"Léana O'Brien…," Paige muttered with a groggy voice. "I like it." She smiled. "But what does the name mean?"

"In Irish, it means 'one who bears the light.'" Walter explained as he continued to stare at the ceiling.

"Sounds fitting," Paige mumbled as she kissed his shoulder.

He started hearing her breaths still. "Paige?"

"Yeah?" she yawned, and he caught her tired eyes with his.

"I, um…," Walter gulped, "I know I d-don't say it a lot…, but, um…, I love you."

"I love you too, Walter." Paige smiled and pulled him down for a kiss.

And as his wife snuggled next to him, he somehow knew everything was going to be all right. That his doubts and his fears were only mind games planted by his cruel childhood experiences, and like all mind games, Walter O'Brien always found ways to conquer them – and he _will _conquer them.

Someday.

Tonight…, tomorrow…, this week…, he was only going to focus on the certainties in his life because _those _are the things that matter. The rest will fall into place, and when they do, he'll be ready to face those mind games head on.

Every. Last. One of them.

**~ SCORPION ~**

* * *

**WriterFreak001: **

And you thought the story was called "Mind Games" because of Collins. MUAHAHAHAHA! MADE YOU THINK! Anyway, this installment concludes the second volume to the "Masterminds of Deceit" series. :)

Please tell me what you think of the chapter AND what you think of the story as a whole.

The third part of the series will not be written for a while, but THANK YOU SO MUCH for being a part of this wild ride! :)


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